


Beast's Obsession

by toni_of_the_trees



Category: Hannibal (TV), Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Abuse, Alcohol Abuse, All forced, Angst, Beast's Obession, Crime Scenes, Failing Justice System, False Stockholme Syndrome, Hannibal AU, Homophobic Slurs, Inspired by Law & Order (TV), Kidnapping, M/M, Mentions of Rape, Molestation, PTSD, Psychopath's, Seduced Adbuctions, Special Victims Unit - Freeform, Substance Abuse, Torture, Twists to Hannibal, Violence, executions, ptsd hallucienations, revisiting crime scenes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-27
Updated: 2017-04-02
Packaged: 2018-09-27 06:02:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 24
Words: 22,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9979595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toni_of_the_trees/pseuds/toni_of_the_trees
Summary: Matthew Brown is a psychotic repeat offender, a serial kidnapper who abducts, or seduces,his victims into his twisted obsession with torturing, raping, and sometimes even killing hisprey.Somehow, though- he has managed to get away with every single crime he's committeddue to small mistakes that the judicial system makes in each trial. Eventually the man hasburned his own fingerprints off just before he goes on another spree of vile offenses,escalating each day back into abducting, assaulting and torturing the new string ofvictims without fear of being caught.Once he is caught, almost willingly, he turns his new trial into a game. He taunts andprods at Will Graham, who feels like the man is growing into a permanent itch in hisbrain.His persecution seems to be going strong towards finally catching him red-handed,until a single mistake- the labs cross contaminating his DNA evidence with thevictim's in the same tray due to a prioritized rush on the results,calls for a mistrial.During the time between this and a renewed trial, Brown goes missing.So does Will Graham.





	1. Detective Graham

**Author's Note:**

> I kind of started writing this after binge watching a ton of LAO:SVU...
> 
> So, because I jumped to the end of the mistrial- the summary is basically getting  
> you up to speed on what I'm doing with this mess :p
> 
> This first chapter is just a simple intro because I realize now...that I  
> wrote the beginning under the heavy influence of alcohol. 
> 
> So...I gotta fix it up a bit. *clears throat*

 

 

 

 

 

  
"Will, I want you to take a break from the case, you seem to be getting too close  
to Brown, I don't want to see you break. Do me the favor and don't fight me on it."

Jack gestured at Will with a stern face.

 

Will nodded and rubbed his temples in exhaustion as they finished up their conversation.

 

"Alright gang...we're going to have to look for this trash with everything we've  
got. We'll pick up in the morning, be cautious and keep your phones on." Jack  
gestured the group to leave the office as he put papers into a file.

 

Beverly, Brian, Jimmy, Hannibal and Will all left at that.

 

"This guy's pretty sick...it still blows my mind how much shit he's gotten  
away with because the system's own mistakes. Luckiest son of a bitch I've  
ever witnessed." Beverly scoffed in disbelief, walking a foot in front of Will.

 

Will simply grunted in response, hands shoved deep in his pockets walking  
beside Hannibal.

 

"Anyone care to join me for dinner or drinks?" Hannibal offered for the night before  
the group dispersed in the parking lot.

 

All but Will agreed, Will claimed his exhaustion and waved to them as he climbed into  
his car.

 

\---

 

Will sighed and entered his home, flicking on the dim kitchen light to set his satchel,  
weapon, and shield down on the counter. Opening the freezer to grab his whiskey, he froze  
when he saw the bottle missing.

 

Turning around to see if he had mistakenly left it on the counter, he tensed up when  
a noise echoed in the quiet house. Glancing to the dark living room, he noticed his dogs  
weren't sleeping where they usually do when he gets home, just now realizing they didn't  
greet him in his tired state.

 

"...Winston?...Ence?.." Will stepped slowly through his house, reaching to his hip and twitched  
a frown when he realized he left his gun in the kitchen.

 

"Win-" Will's words were cut short as a gun emerged from the shadows, the pistol pressing against  
the side of his head.

 

"Welcome home, Detective Graham."

 

"..Matthew." Will swallowed hard and exhaled shakily as he turned a bit to see Brown step forward  
into the dim light.

 

"I hope you're ready for an exclusive look into the details of my uh- past, offenses. You know,  
all the one's I've gotten away with because your precious judicial system is nothing but ignorant vermin."  
Matt grinned and slid the gun from his temple to his cheek, running his hand through the mess of curls  
before snatching them back and smashing the butt of the gun across his head,

dragging his suddenly limp body the dark room.

 

\---


	2. One Move, Lights Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack makes the mistake of giving Will the weekend off work, leaving a message  
> rather than speaking directly to him. 
> 
> Now Matthew Brown has much more time than intended to spend with Will Graham.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *shrugs* >_>
> 
> Hrmm.

 

 

 

 

 

"Where's Will?" Beverly asked as the group entered Jack's office.

 

"I left him a message to take two days off. He didn't answer but I'm assuming he saw it and is  
taking fair advantage of it. He didn't seem very happy working this case and I could tell. The first  
time we got Brown in the box he did nothing but taunt and toy with Will and it seemed to strike a nerve."

 

Jack opened a manila folder and pulled out the paperwork from the night before.

 

Beverly nodded and glanced down at her phone, the five texts she sent to Will all delivered but unread.

 

"He seemed very tired...I wouldn't be surprised if he's sleeping through it." Hannibal touched Beverly's shoulder  
as he quietly tried to ease her worry.

 

"...yeah...the insomniac with encephalitis and an empathy disorder is taking a cozy long nap with his 7 dogs."

Beverly muttered with concern on her tone.

 

Hannibal huffed with a small nod at that. "You've got me there....we'll check on him once Jack lets us go."

 

\---

 

(the night before) -

 

Will grunted in a chair, binds tight around his ankles and wrists, duct tape over his mouth.

 

Blinking away the blur from his vision, a drop of blood fell from his brow to his knee.

 

He shook his head and looked up to see Matthew approach with the bottle of whiskey, tossing  
the cap before he turned it to pour over Will's head. 

 

Will gasped and choked under the tape, closing his eyes under the burn that flooded his face.

 

"Time to wake up sweetheart." Matt stopped dumping the whiskey on him and raised his chin with a finger  
to stare into the bloody bruised face. He slowly pulled the tape from his mouth and quickly place the barrel  
of the gun to his lips. "Scream and I'll blow your teeth in. One move- light's out."

 

"You-...hf, you can leave right now Matthew...the squad, the precinct, they all, know- who you are and that  
you're interested in torturing me. You...are intrigued, by me...they'll be here. Soon. We have plans...to go out  
for drinks." Will huffed through gritted teeth.

 

"Oh...thank you for reminding me...your little boyfriend called, asking if you'd change your mind and join  
them tonight for the drinks and dinner since you- declined." Matt smirked, holding Will's cellphone  
up to his face.

 

Will stared at Hannibal's name on the screen as the voicemail played, the accented voice sounding like  
a beam of safety he couldn't reach.

 

("...I hope you are okay, William. Please let us know if you need company. Goodbye.")

 

"Aw...that's..that's sweet, he's sweet." Matthew chuckled and tossed the phone.

 

"We should go now though. Shall we?"

 

Will furrowed his brows and inhaled deep, ready for the next expected blow with a twitched frown. 

 

Matthew grinned and threw a violent fist across Will's cheek, sending him reeling down to the  
ground in the bound chair- his curls bouncing with his suddenly limp body bouncing once against  
the floor.

 

The hard thud was the last thing ringing in his ears before he fully blacked out.

 

\---


	3. Claw Marks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal and Beverly finally make their way to Will's home  
> to check on him over the three day weekend he was ordered.
> 
> Too many bad signs send the two to take instant action and make  
> sure he's okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Hanni and Bev being friends. 
> 
>  
> 
> Shh...be quiet, you fool.  
> *sticks fingers in ears*

 

  

 

 

 

At the end of the work day, the team hadn't learned much more than the fact that Brown has  
gone missing from anyone's surveillance since the interrogation and mistrial.

 

"I don't like this, at all. This guy's definitely guilty of a barrage of horrors and has somehow  
managed to stay off the grid- ducking and dodging any and every crime he's committed. I mean,  
fuck, he's even burned his own fingerprints off to avoid being recognized properly in the database.  
I don't want to say this, but we should probably ask Will if he has any ideas on how to find this bastard  
when we get to his house. Before this fucker can attack and torture another poor victim." Beverly  
huffed, speeding up her pace to climb into her car beside Hannibal's Bentley.

 

"I certainly agree." Hannibal said just before getting in his own, following Beverly's recklessly fast

driving.

 

\---

 

"Uh...shit, he must be sleeping pretty hard...maybe we shouldn't bother him after all?" Beverly said  
as they stepped up to the front door, noticing the pile of unopened mail at the door step- all the  
lights and shades drawn. Hannibal looked at the bottom of the door and noticed scratch marks.

  
Claw marks.

 

"...I don't think that's what's going on." Hannibal pointed to the field of snow that lead to the woods  
beside the isolated home, the seven dogs all scattered around sniffing and searching for their owner. 

 

"What in the world?" Beverly squinted at the dogs, whistling once to get their attention. All together they  
excitedly rushed over, eager to come out of the cold.

 

"Hannibal-" She didn't have to finish the sentence as the man nodded. She hurried to get the animals  
to all obey and sit patiently like Will had taught her whenever she had to dog-sit.

 

Hannibal tested the knob once to be sure, noting it was locked before he took a step back and  
lunged forward to break the door in.

 

The wood splintered around the lock, then swung open when he threw his shoulder into it once more.

 

They both stepped in, calling out for Will, their voices came to an abrupt stop when Hannibal flipped  
on the light switch. Beverly gasped and covered her mouth at the sight of the wrecked home. Books,  
papers, shattered glass, empty whiskey bottles and a broken tipped over chair with cut ropes and duct  
tape decorated the ransacked scene.

 

"Oh god, Will..." She walked carefully through the mess to the broken chair, gasping again when  
she saw blood on the ropes, tape, floor and wall next to it.

 

"Beverly, calm down, call Jack and let him know that Brown has Will. Keep the dogs outside while  
you do. It's a crime scene."

 

Hannibal helped her step through the broken glass and out the door before returning to the  
chair himself now, frowning angrily at the image in his head of the young man being beaten  
mercilessly in the unfair state- drawing from Brown's previous victims he knew he had to be  
drowning the defenseless thing in alcohol to render his training and focus useless.

 

He felt the angry heat burn in his chest as he glanced over to the kitchen stove.

 

An untwisted wire hanger and cigarette butts sat in an iron skillet, still hot from the  
left-on burner.

 

"...he's branding him already." Hannibal muttered, a twitch to his cheek marked just how he'd  
end up ridding Brown from this world himself.

 

He rolled his eyes a bit out of sight when he overheard Beverly on the phone with Jack.

 

("Yes, we're sure!....It was...we broke in...no it didn't contaminate the scene, we had to get in  
to see if Will was hurt inside, the dogs-!...I mean technically Hannibal did it...")

 

She leaned over to peek in the door, checking if Hannibal heard her shift the blame to him.

 

\---


	4. Shame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew Brown is transporting Will Graham to a vacant property he  
> plans to hide out in order to put the rest of his plans to action.
> 
> His route comes to a halt when cop lights are spotted in the  
> rearview mirror.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor little empath.
> 
> *huffs*

 

 

 

 

Will strained hazily on the floor board of the passenger seat floor of Brown's stolen car, a dirty  
blue tarp covering his body and fresh duct tape over his mouth. Even through the tape  
he could taste his own blood mixing with the sting of alcohol drying against his lips.

 

He huffed through his nose with a small whimper as he tried to focus through the boozy  
vision, seeing a black bag in the seat beside his head.

 

 "You're awake. Shame. Better keep quiet for a bit longer darlin'. We're almost there. I found  
a cozy little-...ah...well this is interesting." Matthew spoke out of Will's sight behind the wrinkled  
tarp, Will furrowing his brows at the sudden break in words.

 

Matthew smirked as he slowed down, pulling to the side of the road after glancing up to the  
rearview mirror at the flashing red and blue lights.

 

Will inhaled sharply when he heard the two high pitched single sirens from the cop car,  
fear surging through his veins in terrifying anticipation.

 

"Mm..he's young." Brown said with a smile, watching the officer step out of the car and slowly  
approach his.

 

Matthew unbuckled and leaned over quick to speak to Will.

 

"A single sound out of you and he's dead."

 

He patted Will's messed curls twice and pulled the tarp over him fully now,  
rolling down his window when the young man arrived.

 

"Good afternoon officer, how are you doing in this wonderfully warm winter weather?"  
Matthew beamed a grin at him, the man studying the car for a moment before responding.

 

"Fine. Are you aware you ran through a blinking red stop light?"

 

"No, ah, sorry. Long day."

 

"License and registration, please, sir."

 

"Right-" Brown leaned over, his elbow an inch above Will's hunched covered shoulder.

 

The box popped open, hitting Will who simply inhaled with a shock over the sudden touch.  
Brown sighed audibly when he heard the small sound, turning to hand the paperwork to  
the officer. "My aunt's car. And-..oh...shoot...I left my license at work, dammit. That's  
my bad." Matthew frowned at the cop who eyed the papers then looked back to him.

 

"That so? Well...I suppose if you remember your license number that'll do fine....can I  
ask what's all that?" The officer gestured to the tarp with a suspicious eye.

 

Matthew rolled his eyes and snatched the young man with a strong arm around his neck,  
dragging him half through the open window and snapped his pistol from his waist band,  
pressing it against the short dirty blonde hair as the cop struggled and choked in his  
grip.

 

"Was it worth asking?" Brown muttered into his ear, then pulled the trigger.

 

Will's muffled shout and furious writhing under the tarp was followed by the heavy thud  
of the officer's limp body hitting the gravel.

 

"You couldn't keep your mouth shut even with tape and that poor kid's life in your hands.  
Tsk...shame." Matthew pulled back into the road and resumed his route with a small  
smile on his face.

 

Will sobbed and continued to shout through the tape, struggling in the tight uncomfortable  
position he was tied up in, his feet kicking at the center console as he imagined over and  
over the innocent young man's cruel, sudden execution. He could feel himself take

Brown's place in the driver's seat, locking the cop in his arm and shooting a single

bullet through his skull.

 

"Don't beat yourself up over it- it's a dangerous line of work, as you know gorgeous."

 

\---


	5. Business First

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack is furious at the young cop's crime scene, sending Beverly and Hannibal  
> to continue their search for Brown and Graham while he tends to the murder. 
> 
> Will tries to stay conscious in the abduction, Brown getting closer and eager  
> to finally having his time with the detective. 
> 
> Beverly's vocal worrying isn't helping Hannibal's anger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shhhort chapter ? :c

 

    

 

 

Jack scowled at the scene, watching the ERT's pull the gurney with the deceased young

cop into the ambulance.

 

"This has to be Brown, he's reckless and think's he can get away with anything and everything."  
Beverly said, frowning with sad eyes at the two red and white doors that closed.

 

"He HAS gotten away with anything and everything!" Jack bellowed, slamming a fist into his own  
SUV as Beverly flinched at the booming voice.

 

"Jack, we should hurry and try and trail him. The unfortunate officer doesn't look to have been gone  
much longer than a few hours." Hannibal urged the man, eager to continue their search for Will.

 

"You two search all the side roads leading off this road, keep heading on once you check and have  
your phones on watch- I'm going to get the surveillance camera from the officer's car to see if there's  
any sign that Will is alive in the footage and let you know what I find. Go." Jack commanded, they  
agreed and took off in Hannibal's Bentley down the road.

 

\---

 

Will tried to keep his eyes open as he was dragged down the hallway by the collar of his grey t-shirt,  
drenched in sweat and alcohol that mixed with blood stains in the fabric.

 

The hall tunneled in his vision, his veins tingling like static, he worried the mixture of so much alcohol  
and pills the man continuously forced down his throat would kill him before the end of the day.

 

The drag came to a stop, Matthew leaning over to pull Will to his feet with hands tied behind his back.  
"I'm sure you have to use the bathroom with all that whiskey and vodka, huh?" He stood behind Will and  
grazed his nose up the side of his neck, stopping at his jawline as he nudged his knee into the back of Will's  
once. Will grunted weakly under the duct tape, trying his best to focus on his feet in order to step forward  
into the bathroom.

 

Will stumbled to a stop when his shins bumped into the toilet seat he could barely see spinning below him.

 

Brown pressed his chest into Will's back, grabbing his jaw with a firm grip to keep him steady as he swayed  
his stance.

 

"I'll help you out here princess.." Matthew smirked and reached around Will's waist, undoing his jeans and  
pulling his member out as the younger man strained a protested whimper.

 

"Good boy, I bet that feels fucking fantastic, hm?" He placed his lips against his ear as he whispered through  
a grin, tightening his grip on his jaw before returning his eyes down to watch him urinate.

 

Will huffed, furrowing his brows and trying to hold back tears of disgust as he weakly leaned his head away

from the man's lips, only to have his jaw snapped back upright with the strong hand. The jolt shook his

vision like a poorly made handheld film, causing him to hiccup and swallow his vomit since the duct tape

would surely cause him to drown in it if he didn't.

 

When he finished, Brown tucked him back in and neglected re-doing his pants as he pulled his bound wrists  
to lead him back into the hall.

 

"Now that business is all taken care of, time for the fun."

 

\---

 

"Jesus Christ...the shit he has to be doing to Will..." Beverly rubbed her arm with worry as she stared out the window,  
looking for any sign of the two.

 

"Beverly- stop. We can't distract ourselves with our personal fear in this right now, use all of your attention  
on finding them. Anything out of the ordinary, even just a home that looks vacant, tire tracks on dirt driveways  
that look fresh, focus." Hannibal glanced at her when she nodded with a frown, sighing to himself silently.

 

He didn't want to continue imagining what the previous victims went through happening to his Will. 

 

He tried to maintain his composure as much as he could manage as he searched the other side of the road.

 

The small cracking sound the steering wheel made under his tightening grip might give him away though.

 

\---


	6. Iron Posts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brown finally gets Will where he's been eager to have him,  
> securing the young man to his final destination.
> 
> Will, even under the heavy influence of drugs and alcohol,  
> tries to figure a way to stay alive in the twisted man's plans.
> 
> Hannibal and Beverly look into anything they possibly can   
> in order to find their friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *quote fingers* 
> 
> "friend"
> 
> stop lying, toni.

 

   

 

 

Brown shoved Will to the rutty, dingy looking twin sized bed. The iron posts and railings creaked and  
craned under the sudden weight, rocking for a short moment with the drop.

 

Will huffed his breaths through his nose heavily as fearful anticipation grew in him, the man grabbing his shoulder  
to push him from laying on his chest to his back.

 

Matthew snatched the tape from the detective's lips and tossed it to the ground as Will inhaled deep and panted in  
the easier air, despite the muggy basement smell surrounding them.

 

Before he could speak, Brown shoved the tip of a pistol against Will's lips with one hand, the other hand lifting and tossing  
the bound legs up onto the bed.

 

Will held his breath now, attempting to turn his head up and away from the dangerously aimed weapon. His lips parted  
as he gritted his teeth under the pushing steel, wincing an eye shut when Matthew kept the pressure of the gun on  
against his bright white revealed teeth.

 

"You understand what this is ready to do if you try and be a tough boy, hm?" Matthew smiled and continued to  
follow the terrified face trying to hazily avoid the pistol.

 

"Fffyou...wont.." Will snarled through his slur, glaring at Matthew with anger in his eyes.

 

Matt raised his brows at that, "...I wont? Oh...because you know so much about me...you know I wont  
kill you off unless I think I have to...and even before then, I like 'em alive and writhing under my hands.  
I get it. You're smart. So...death threats wont work on you then."

 

When a grin spread across Matthew's face, Will felt his stomach drop and churn, frowning at the mischievous look.

"I wonder then, what DOES work on you then..." He holstered his gun and pushed Will to his side, grabbing his hands  
and undoing half the binds in order to tie them skillfully above his head around the iron rails. Brown added a

new rope to the binds, wrapping it around Will's throat up to his wrists to ensure he didn't lunge to bite him at any point.

 

Will worried his blurry eyes down with fearful huffs as he watched the man cut the ropes from his ankles and re-tie  
them spread far apart to opposite foot posts.

 

"Perfect...now...scissors or scalpel to cut these mangy clothes off of you..." Matthew wondered to himself, pursing  
his lips before leaving the room in thought.

 

Will closed his eyes tight and tried to regain any strength left in his body, yanking at the ropes around his wrists  
as he grunted and fought the spinning room.

 

"Hf...f..fuck...fuck....fuck, uhrn...fuck, YOU FUCK..." Will hissed drunkly through his teeth as he worsened his already  
broken wrist, using all he had in him to yank and pull against the restraints. The iron clanged over and over every time

he tried, tears running down his cheeks over the screaming pain in his wrists that throbbed, begging for him to stop.

 

He refused to stop though, twisting his elbows to try and writhe out of the binds, the ropes tore at his bruised black  
and blue skin.

 

Brown returned with a thick pair of scissors and shook his head at the sweaty thing fussing in the bed before him.

 

"Tsk tsk...you're only wearing yourself out. I want you awake for this, stop now-" Matt stepped over and  
grabbed his throat, tapping the sharp point of the scissors on his pursed panting bloody lips twice.

 

"-Or I'll take your hands off so you wont have a reason to fight."

 

Will stared up into the pale man's face, the blurry pink sunburn on his cheeks and dark black short hair  
standing out a little more than the other swirling features in his eyes.

 

"...I...I wont...fight...I, I want this...I know you want this too....ff..fuck..I...can do whatever you want...Matt,  
I'll...I don't..want to die, I want to..I want to do anything f-for you...I know you like, when, when they beg."

 

Will tightened his lips under the scissors and flinched when Matt suddenly drew his pistol again, pressing it  
firm against his temple.

 

"Don't try and fuck with me Detective...you wont get anywhere with it." Matt muttered through a snarl,  
cocking the gun for fire.

 

Will blinked with another flinch over the sound of the gun cocking, a small whimper escaping his lips as he  
tried to turn away from it again.

 

"I don't want to die, please, god, Matthew, you don't...you don't have to- to do this..." Will's begging trailed off  
to silence when the gun pushed harder against his head, the scissors being set to the creaky old wooden

bedside table next to him.

 

"...what's this now..?" Brown smiled when Will's face suddenly seemed vacant of emotion. "...you're missing someone  
right now. Tell me, detective, who is it crossing your mind in this horrid event of your life?" His smile turned to  
a smirk as he lowered the gun from his temple to his cheek now, studying the young man curiously.

 

Will didn't answer, keeping his eyes on the ceiling as he tried to contain his heavy breaths.

 

"Interesting...mm...you know, I'll make it fair...I'm thinking of, my dad. The time he raped my babysitter in front of me  
when I was ten. Best night of my life." Brown caressed Will's face with the pistol and chuckled to himself.

 

Will glanced at him then back to the ceiling as he twitched a fearful frown.

 

He shivered and let his eyes roll back, closing again to try and imagine Hannibal's soothing voice and hands,

wishing with every might in his dissolving hope that he could feel the strong warm hands on his face once more.

 

Just once.

 

\---

 

Beverly flung a hand over to smack Hannibal in the shoulder twice, gasping when she spotted something.

 

Hannibal blinked over to her and hit the breaks as she couldn't muster any words in her flailing.

 

"What is it Beverly?"

 

"I saw a dog-!"

 

"...Beverly, I understand Will has gotten you slightly pulled into his obsession, but-"

 

"No, god, shut up- a dog is in that house's backyard but there's no car parked outside, the

house is dark, no lights on. They left their dog outside while they're gone?" She looked  
at Hannibal with suspicion on her face.

 

"...not bad, Ms. Katz. Let's check it out." Hannibal cracked a micro-smile to her and put the  
car to reverse fast, then pulled up the rocky driveway.

 

\---


	7. The Brother In Law

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brown is interrupted by unexpected guests in the vacant home.
> 
> Will decides this is his only chance to save himself, and the new possible victims  
> that have arrived in unfortunate timing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter I'm gonna have to ask for people to work with me  
> on my absolute shite knowledge of any other language but English.
> 
> Just a heads up. I suck.

  

 

 

 

Brown leaned over and began cutting the hem of Will's jeans from around his ankles after pulling his tennis hoes  
off. Will closed his eyes tight, opening them again when the spinning dark was too much to handle, staring  
up at the dim orange lit dirty ceiling as the man slid the scissors up over his leg.

 

He gasped when Matthew paused the removal, a faint knocking from somewhere in the house reaching  
both of their ears. "H-help...HELP-!" Will stopped his cry when Brown snapped up and aimed the pistol at him,  
raising a finger over his own lips. "Tsh, quiet lovely. I'll see who's decided to stop by for a visit."

 

Will whimpered and gulped against the tight rope around his neck, wincing when he accidentally moved his 

broken wrist hanging above his head, watching Brown disappear up the stairs and a door slam shut.

 

\---

 

Matthew walked up to the side of the house's sliding door entrance, pulling the shades away from it  
to see a young Mexican woman and a little girl standing outside fumbling with keys.

 

The woman gasped when she saw Brown.

 

He slid the door open and smiled at her and the girl, resting his arm to the doorframe as he noted the  
bucket of cleaning supplies hanging from the woman's arm.

 

"I, I'm sorry, I was told Mrs. and Mr. Mayers would be gone for the weekend- she left me keys to take  
care of her home. She said I can bring mi hija since there is no babysitter."

 

"Oh that's fine, I'm Mrs. Mayer's brother in law, I was stopping by to make sure you got in alright. They told  
me about your hija too- hi there gorgeous, how are you?" Brown crouched down to hold a hand out to the  
girl who shied behind her mother's leg, then hesitantly reaching out to shake the man's hand politely.

 

"She's cute-" Brown smirked and looked up at the mother who smiled back with a nod.

 

She gasped and cried out when the man suddenly yanked her daughter inside the house, dropping the  
bucket as she rushed in after him to grab her from his grip.

 

Matthew slammed the sliding door shut and locked it, drawing the shades quickly before turning around  
to see the woman holding her daughter defensively a few feet away- her face twisted in confusion and fear.

 

"I guess now it's a real party." He grinned and cracked his knuckles.

 

\---

 

Will's eyes widened when he heard a woman shriek from above, starting to yank his limbs painfully  
again as he shouted up for Brown to stop what he was doing.

 

He huffed and gritted his teeth, slamming his elbows down as hard as he could all over again to break  
free from the rail that began to rattle loose finally from it's place.

 

"LEAVE THEM ALONE MATTHEW-!!! I'M STILL DOWN HERE!!! HEY!!!!" Will screamed through his hoarse  
burning throat, his face burning red as she strained against the ropes.

 

"COME AND FUCKIN' GET SOME ASSHOLE!! I THOUGHT YOU PREFERED MEN, HUH!? LEAVE HER ALONE  
AND COME GET WHAT YOU REALLY FUCKING WANT!!!" Will's eyes teared up over his words, hoping  
he could spare whatever poor girl that was upstairs the horrors Matthew was capable of.

 

\---

 

Brown came down the stairs, sighing as he approached the still seemingly bound mess in the bed.

 

"Sorry about that...bitch was a fighter. Her daughter sure is cute though, you should see her."

 

Will swallowed dryly in fear, blinking at Brown as he rounded the bed with the scissors in hand again.

 

Matthew was so lost in fantasizing about what he would do to the unexpected guests that he hadn't  
noticed the ropes around Will's neck were untied now.

 

"Don't worry though, I heard you begging for attention down here, so-"

 

Within a fraction of a second, Will slipped his wrists out of the loosened ropes and dropped one  
foot from the side of the bed, snatching the untwisted iron post out of it's spot and swinging  
it with violent force across Matthew's face- sending him brutally to the ground with a shocked grunt.

 

A splatter of blood had surged from Matt's lips when the rod smashed into his cheek and jaw, sending

red droplets up across the dingy fire alarm mounted on the wall before he collapsed.

 

Will pulled his other foot from the undone rope and stood over the man, raising the iron rod again  
and smashed it against his ribs when he tried to get up.

 

He shouted as Matthew swung his leg across his shins, knocking him to the ground with a painful  
grunt.

 

Matt stumbled to his feet, grabbing the dresser for support and reached for the gun. He grunted an agonized

shout when Will was up again, bringing the rod down into his arm- breaking it with a sickening crack.

 

Before Brown could decide his next move as the pain surged through him, Will threw an elbow up into his jaw and swung  
his knee up into the man's groin. When Matt was hunched over for a moment, Will shouted as he  
brought both his elbows down into his spine, dropping the man to the ground again.

 

Brown blacked out with Will hovering above him, panting with the iron post in his lesser damaged  
hand at his side.

 

Will's face twisted with too many emotions to decide on one, his heavy breathing turning to painful  
grunts as he dragged the post with him- grabbing the scissors and making his way up the stairs.

 

\---


	8. This Didn't Happen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will convinces the house maid and her daughter to leave and  
> not mention that they were ever at the scene.
> 
> After fighting his mixed emotions, he makes a half decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have zero language skills.
> 
> Google did this likely mess.  
> *hides under table*

 

 

 

 

The woman and her daughter gasped when Will stepped into the living room, the two tied on the floor  
back to back with many ropes around their ankles, waists, and wrists.

 

"It's...it's okay...I'm police...he's, he's unconscious...here-" Will dropped the rod and crouched with a  
wince, cutting the ropes from them carefully.

 

"We have to call the policia- he's a bad man! Oh- aye, look at you! Pobre nino~!" The woman panicked  
as she reached out to touch Will's bruised face.

 

"N-no..listen, I am policia...comprende? Detective policial...secuestrado...he's..he's- inconsciente, now..listen  
to me though. Are you legal? Estas ilegal???" Will pushed them gently towards the sliding door as he asked  
her status.

 

"N..No.." She muttered in new fear, grabbing her daughter to hold close.

 

"Okay, well, if they find you here- they'll take your daughter away from you. Send you back across border,  
you need to leave..ah...fuck, tomar..la, hija de distancia? Go- you weren't here! This didn't happen, okay?  
Esto no sucedio." Will struggled to remember his Spanish as his mind still fought against the drugs and 

alcohol drenched in his system.

 

She thanked him many times through her fear and state of shock before rushing away, picking up her cleaning  
supplies and bucket and kissing her daughter's head in terrified relief.

 

Will watched them leave and shut the sliding door slowly, locking it and drawing the shades again.

 

When they were gone he stumbled over to the kitchen sink, lurching over as he vomited into the steel

drain, huffing through the agony in his dehydration.

 

He groaned painfully with a scowl and headed back to the basement, picking up the iron bed rail on his way.

 

\---

 

"Okay...so what the hell do we need to look for!? There was nothing at that house...or the next,  
how far could they have gone!?" Beverly began to grow angry with her worry, slamming a fist to the  
dashboard of the Bentley as Hannibal pressed the gas pedal down heavily.

 

"...I think this may be our break." Hannibal said quietly, picking up the cell phone that began buzzing  
with Jack's name across the screen.

 

"Jack-"

 

("There's a home that's vacant for the rest of the weekend down off the side road across  
from Mayflower and Crescent street, the owners say they haven't heard from their maid on whether

or not she got inside okay, get there, quick. Be cautious, Will could still be alive and be held as  
a hostage if you tip Brown off too suddenly.")

 

"Right. On the way." Hannibal hung up and glanced at Beverly who furrowed her brows, having heard  
him over the speaker phone. "Could this be it...?" She whispered, her eyes turning red as she tried to

anticipate what they'll find when they get there.

 

"We'll see soon enough, Beverly...Will's a tough boy..."

 

\---


	9. Right Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brown taunts and eggs Will on to become what he knows he is afraid to be.  
> Will breaks.
> 
>  
> 
> The only thing he wants now is for Hannibal to hold him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *acts like I didn't use 'the gif'*

  

 

 

 

"You've gotten away with everything-EVERYTHING...so much...you- fucking, murdered that  
poor girl who worked as your defense attorney so long ago...you, USED her, you twisted her  
mind, she worked so hard, SO hard for you to claim your innocence...and you did those horrible  
things to her...and killed her. The tourists...they didn't have a chance...you FUCK...you...got  
away with EVERYTHING!" Will paced the room dizzily, dragging the iron rod across the cement  
floor and dusty rug around the bed.

 

Matthew was unconscious, his wrists bound around the posts of the foot of the bed as he lay limp  
on the ground, his shoulder propped up against the rails.

 

Will continued his mental debate rant for a few minutes, trying to suppress his fury and decision on whether  
to call Hannibal, Beverly, or Jack, or when.

 

He froze, halting his pacing when Matt chuckled below him.

 

He stared down at the man when he opened his eyes, one blackened and bruised above a broken  
cheek bone covered in blood.

 

"Hf...you..don't have the fucking, BALLS to do anything to me tied up like this. You- hf...you'd  
be fucked on paper. Don't, ha...don't get me wrong darlin'...I want you to do it. I'm rootin' for you  
princess. You know that's how I like it, I fucking want it..come on, hit me- hit me, beat the shit out  
of me kiddo, let it out, take it all out on me, KILL ME, you WANT TO, you HAVE TO! You know exactly  
what the FUCK I was going to do to that little girl and her dear mum, come on, finish me!"

 

Matthew laughed psychotically, tugging at the ropes and grinning wildly up at Will eagerly.

 

Will aimed the pole at Matt's face with a hard frown, glaring at the man before he spoke,  
"...one move...light's out."

 

"You wanna know what I was going to do to YOU? Huh? Is THAT it!? Oh, Will sweetie, boy- I was  
going to make you cry in pitches you never knew you had. To make it just a little worse for  
you, I was even going to risk letting the FBI track my shitty little burner phone, just so your  
handsome old Doctor Lecter could listen to every scream I drew from you-"

 

Will's breathing grew heavier every time he yelled at the man to shut up, cursing him and telling  
him to stop moving.

  
"Shut - UP!!!!" Will shouted, his neck tensing red as he smashed a drawer in with the bar,  
cheap wood splintering and falling to the ground when he pulled the rod out of the  
destroyed dresser.

 

"I bet you have daddy issues too- would your pops look at you right now and feel  
a sickening churn in his gut to find out his little boy is a homo-"

 

"YOU DESERVE TO FUCKING DIE- OVER, AND OVER, AND OVER!!!!" Will screamed as he  
leaned over to Brown's grinning injured face.

 

"THEN DO IT, YOU COWARD FAGGOT!!! IF YOU DON'T, I'LL JUST GET AWAY WITH IT ALL  
OVER AGAIN, AND I'LL COME AFTER YOU AND YOUR PRECIOUS SUGAR DADDY, I'LL  
SLIT HIS WRISTS AND HANG HIM ON A PEDASTLE FOR YOU TO WATCH HIM BLEED OUT  
AND DIE, IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT!? HUH?! NO!? THEN BE A FUCKING MAN, BE A  
FUCKING MAN!"

 

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!!! SHUT, UP!!!" Will shouted through a furious sob of submission,  
raising the bar above his head as he stared down at the grinning man below him with  
wide tear filled eyes.

 

He swung down with violent force, despite his broken wrist, it was harsh and ugly  
when the rod connected with Brown's skull with an audible crack.

 

As soon as the first blow landed, Will's fury and angst flooded through his body,  
blinding him through the next 16 swings, the ruthless beating seeming to never  
end.

 

He finally stopped, fresh blood spattered across his shirt, neck and face as he panted  
trembling breaths with the wet post still in hand.

 

Will whimpered and rubbed the blood from his cheek and eyelids before dropping  
the bar and stepping forward. He undid the binds from Brown's wrists and ankles,  
looking at him once more.

 

He wiped a stream of snot from under his nose and stumbled weakly to the stairway, holding the  
wall for support on his way up.

 

\---

 

Beverly and Hannibal pulled up to the driveway at the precise moment the sliding door suddenly  
slowly pushed open.

 

Beverly gasped and jumped out of the car, Hannibal calling for her to wait as he climbed out  
as well.

 

"Beverly-" He started, stopping short when Will stepped out of the door, bloodied, bruised  
and drenched in sweat and other fluids- one jean leg missing up to his thigh as he limped out  
into the fading daylight.

 

"Will, oh my god...Hannibal-" Beverly started, too worried to rush and frighten her friend as  
she covered her mouth with both hands in shock.

 

Hannibal touched her shoulder to motion her to stay and call for backup and a bus.

 

He walked up to Will who was holding his arm up over his squinting eyes, blinking  
at the strange temporary 'cop lights' still spinning on Hannibal's car a few yards away.

 

"Will...it's okay...I've got you...where's Brown at? Can you understand me?"

 

Hannibal gently wrapped his arms around Will's waist and shoulders, pulling him into  
a soft light handed hug.

 

Will scrunched his face and frowned hard, pushing his nose into Hannibal's shoulder before  
he began to sob.

 

Hannibal's brows curved in sorrow as he frowned as well, kissing the wet alcohol and sweat  
smelling curls tenderly as he whispered, "...I'm here now, Will...I'm right here with you..."

 

\---


	10. Better Than Yesterday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal is concerned Will is suppressing his mental ailments after  
> the ordeal comes to what they hope is an end. 
> 
> Jack shows up to check on Will in the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *scrunches nose*

 

   

 

 

Hannibal rode in the ambulance with Will to the hospital, watching as the ERT's connected  
IV's to his bruised arms, cut his filthy shirt off to tape heart reader pads across his chest.

 

Will stared up at the roof of the large vehicle, flinching before letting one of the team  
members place an oxygen mask over his mouth.

 

Hannibal noticed Will's eyes twitch and turn slightly fearful as he stared at the young nurse  
who wrapped the strap around his head gently.

 

At that, Hannibal could tell...Will wasn't seeing who was really there in that moment.

 

He was seeing Matthew Brown behind his eyes.

 

\---

 

Beverly knocked twice before entering the hospital room Hannibal and Will were in.

 

"Hey...how's he doing?"

 

"I'm awake, and I'm fine, thanks Bev." Will answered, sitting up a bit in the bed with  
a wince. Hannibal sighed angrily under his breath over the young man moving with his  
injuries.

 

"Sorry, heh...come here-" Beverly stepped over and pressed a kiss to his forehead,  
running her hand through his messy fresh washed curls. "Oh, so soft and silky." She  
grinned as he scoffed and pushed her hand away with his unbroken hand.

 

"I gotta figure out what kind of conditioner they have in this place." She winked and stared  
down at him, her joking demeanor slowly fading as her eyes suddenly welled up with tears.

 

"Bev...stop, I'm okay. I promise." "Okay, okay, Christ.." She muttered, wiping the wetness from

her eyes before petting his head twice with a sigh. "How bad is it though?" She asked, turning to

Hannibal for an answer.

 

"Two fractured ribs, a crack in his cheekbone, broken wrist and the other sprained,  
concussion, massive dehydration and the beginnings of starvation and alcohol poisoning.

 

The medication he was forced could temporarily cause some issues with his health but  
is treatable. He...has burn marks and some lacerations in various places of his body. He  
will heal, in time..." Hannibal looked down at his hands, forcing himself to stop  
tensing his fists with tight white knuckles.

 

"Shit...I'm..sorry, Will...I-Is it okay if Jack comes in to talk for a second?"

 

Hannibal looked at Beverly with stern eyes as she asked nervously, both understanding that  
the man wasn't always a very gentle man.

 

"Uh, yeah, of course." Will cleared his throat and adjusted his cast clad arm so he could  
pull the blanket up to his arm pits, covering his bruised and branded torso bandages.

 

Beverly opened the door and Jack leaned in and greeted the three before stepping in.

 

"How are you feeling, Will?" Jack stopped beside the bed and eyed his injuries, frowning  
at the black and blue bruises painted across one side of his pale face.

 

"I'm better than I was yesterday, that's for sure." Will glanced to Beverly and Hannibal then  
back to Jack with a bit of anticipation on his face.

 

Jack noticed the tension in the air and sighed. "Can I have the room with Graham for a  
moment, guys?"

 

Hannibal twitched an unpleasant scowl before standing and following Beverly out the door  
into the hall with a quick glance to Will.

 

"...Will I'm not going to beat around a bush here..."

 

Will furrowed his brows and stared at the larger man, wondering where he was going with  
the reluctant news.

 

 

 

"Matthew Brown is alive, he's in the ICU."

 

\---

 


	11. Victim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal gets a call from the hospital informing him that Will is being  
> released that afternoon. 
> 
> He picks him up, worried over if it was too soon to let him out.  
> Will wants to go home. 
> 
> Plans change when they get to Wolftrap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *rubs temples*

  

 

 

Two weeks pass before Will is released from the hospital- Hannibal waiting out front for the young man  
to exit the building.

 

He looks up from his cellphone to see Will pushed out of the doors in a wheelchair, standing and nodding  
to the nurse who smiled sweetly back at him before returning inside.

 

Will wore a white t-shirt with a black long-sleeved button down open over it, the collar askew with one side  
sticking up beside his neck, and a pair of dark blue jeans with his brown boots.

 

He resembled a child being put out on the street with nowhere to go in the late darkening afternoon.

 

Hannibal frowned and climbed out of his Bentley, stepping briskly across the lot and roundabout to  
approach Will.

 

"Will...do you have your things?" He asked, noticing he wasn't holding anything but a large plastic  
zip lock bag.

 

Will blinked up from the sidewalk to meet Hannibal's eyes, staring into the worried gaze for a moment  
before nodding. "...you didn't answer your cell phone, I hope you knew I was going to be picking you  
up. Is your cell phone in the bag?" Hannibal reached for it, stopping immediately when the young man  
pulled it away from his fingers.

 

"...they finished examining the clothes. They gave them back." Will muttered under his breath, looking  
down at the bag with a vacant look in his eyes.

 

Hannibal's chest swelled with an angry heat, wondering who could have possibly thought the young man  
would want the shredded, filth soiled rags back from the brutal abduction.

 

"Can you take me home?" Will finally asked, curving his brows together above sad eyes that made  
Hannibal's heart sink- as if he had to beg for such a thing from him.

"Of course, Will, dear...come."

 

Hannibal walked beside Will, a slight bit in front of him to lead the way across the parking lot.

 

He fluttered a blink down when fingers slid between his own, a micro smile through a soft  
relieved sigh as he squeezed Will's unbroken hand gently in understanding.

 

\---

 

Hannibal squinted in confusion as they pulled up to the isolated house in Wolftrap,  
yellow police tape still wrapped around the front porch and door that gleamed  
in the headlights of his approaching car.

 

"They seem to have forgotten to remove the tape...likely to keep any media from trespassing  
on your property." Hannibal put the car in park, waiting for the moment Will turned to climb out  
so he could grab the zip lock bag from the floorboard and place it quickly in the backseat.

 

Will was already pulling the tape from the door and placing the key in the lock as Hannibal  
exited his vehicle, shutting the door and walking up the porch steps to follow Will inside.

 

He stopped when Will didn't move further than a few feet past the doorway, staring at the  
light switch beside the kitchen counter.

 

Hannibal frowned and stepped around Will, facing him as he took his hand again.

"I don't think they cleaned up the mess...Will...we should go. You're welcome to stay  
at my home. This is unacceptable on their part." Hannibal spoke softly, watching Will's  
face carefully.

 

"I'm fine. I need to get a few things...Beverly still has my dogs...right?" "Yes, she does,  
and she has all the supplies she needs for however long it will be. What do you need,  
I can get it for you if you'll wait outside."

 

"I'll get it, Hannibal. Can YOU wait outside...? Please? You're making me feel like a victim."  
Will shot a soft roll of his eyes to the man who raised a brow and nodded in return.

 

Hannibal stepped outside and watched from the porch as Will hesitated to turn on the  
light, finally doing so he could see past the young man- the wreckage of papers, glass,  
books, whiskey bottles and cigarette butts covering the floor.

 

Will took a deep breath and walked through the mess, stepping over the empty bottles  
of alcohol and stopping at the broken chair. He studied the splintered wood and snapped  
off legs of the seat, his eyes moving up from the dried pool of blood where his head  
had landed, then to the wall decorated with red stained droplets from the beating.

 

He could still smell the alcohol soaked into the floorboards below, the smoky smell of  
seared metal and tobacco coating the paint on the walls.

 

Deciding to move on, he shook off an uncomfortable shiver and made his way to his  
dresser, snatching it open and grabbing a handful of shirts, pants, underwear and socks,  
shoving them in a book bag he picked up from his reading chair.

 

Pulling the bag strap over his shoulder, he went to the bathroom next.

 

Turning on the light, he blinked and took in what he hadn't seen before.

 

The shower curtain had been ripped down, his soaps and shampoos spilled all over  
the floor, toilet unflushed with urine burning in the air. He felt a gag lift in his throat  
when he spotted white stains dried in the small black rug in front of the toilet, quickly  
turning to leave the bathroom and abandon any idea of gathering anything from  
the room.

 

Hannibal straightened up from leaning on the porch post when Will came rushing  
out of the house. "Will-" He stopped his words and watched the young man lower  
into the car and slam the door shut.

 

After shutting and locking the door to Will's home, he got in the drivers seat and drove  
off as soon as possible to get him away from the place.

 

"I need to pick a few things up from a Wal-greens or something...whatever's open...please."

 

"We can stop somewhere. Anywhere else?" Hannibal glanced over to him as he shoved the  
book bag down by his feet.

 

"...liquor store?"

 

Hannibal raised a brow at that, shocked he'd even want to drink after the ordeal.

 

Will noticed his face and scoffed. "It's been two weeks of orange juice and water."

 

"...I see. It wont be necessary though."

 

"Right, I forgot, you've got a fortress of alcohol."

 

Will finally broke a crooked grin out and sat back in his seat, rolling down the window.

 

Hannibal smirked and felt a small victory in seeing those pearly whites smile again.

 

\---


	12. Quick Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal helps Will through a PTSD panic attack in the early  
> hours of the morning, making a breakfast for the young man  
> for them to talk over.
> 
> He learns that Will may very well need a good defense lawyer.
> 
> Fredrick Chilton is his first choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *aka BARBA from SVU sooooo~*
> 
> YAY CHILTY <3

  

  

 

 

 

Will woke up in the early hours of the morning, reaching for a reason as to why he  
was in Hannibal's bed, the sweaty ruined luxurious blankets kicked off from his  
writhing sleep.

 

His eyes blurred in and out as the room changed around him, the large windows  
and red drapes turning into moldy walls and the king-size bed to a meager twin  
with metal coil springs creaking under him.

 

He huffed and fumbled his hands up to his neck, feeling a frayed thick rope  
tightening as he began to panic.

 

Without thinking further on it, he twisted in the bed and tried to rip the hallucinated  
iron bar from the headboard, whimpering when it felt like solid wood all of the sudden.

 

"Will-"

 

Will snapped his head towards the doorway, seeing Brown standing there with a glass of  
vodka in hand.

 

He stammered and scooted back in the bed away from him, his bare shoulders slamming  
into the wooden bed frame as he held his good hand up defensively.

 

"Will...it's okay...you're safe, you're in my home, in my room-" Hannibal started, setting  
the glass of water down to the dresser before inching over to Will with hands raised slightly  
in hopefully comforting submission.

 

Will blinked and squinted away his hallucination, seeing Hannibal now as he approached  
with careful steps.

 

"Oh..-g, god.." He panted and began to shake, Hannibal instantly closing the distance to  
wrap his arms around the trembling young man that began to sob into his shoulder.

 

"What's happening to me~?" Will stuttered shakily with sweat and tears soaking Hannibal's  
red sweater sleeve.

 

"...you're having a panic attack...it's perfectly normal, Will...you're okay, I promise you..."  
Hannibal sighed into the wet curls and kissed his head gently, running his hand up and  
down his quivering spine.

 

\---

 

When daylight came, Hannibal carefully climbed out of the bed, slowly to not disturb  
Will in his finally still slumber.

 

He padded downstairs to prepare a breakfast for them both.

 

\---

 

After Will got cleaned up and dressed for the day, he finished the morning meal  
with Hannibal and thanked him for accompanying him to sleep, as well for the  
food.

 

\---

 

"...so...as much as I don't want to talk about it...what do you know about Brown's  
condition...?" Will asked quietly, drying the dish before setting it to the side.

 

Hannibal looked at him and stilled for a moment, blinking a few times in thought  
before answering.

 

"...he's recovering quickly- surprisingly. He has partial blindness in one eye, deafness  
in his left ear, has a limp."

 

"He's...he's walking? He's up and- and functioning? He's FINE!?" Will suddenly snapped,  
dropping the glass he had been drying to the floor with a crash.

 

Hannibal licked his lips and hurried over to the young man, grabbing his shoulders  
to comfort him. "This isn't a bad thing...he survived your defensive fight so now, he  
can suffer the consequences of the legal system with solid evidence and proof of what  
he really is. He-"

 

"He didn't suffer a defensive fight, Hannibal. He was...I had him handcuffed to the fucking  
foot of the bed- and beat him near to death with an iron bed post."

 

Hannibal widened his eyes at that, understanding now why Will was so distraught that the  
man survived.

 

He could ruin Will's life with a claim of over reactive abuse of authority. That the man was already  
restrained before Will bludgeoned the man excessively.

 

"...I have to recommend we get you a lawyer as soon as possible then, Will." Hannibal frowned,  
pulling out his cell phone as Will dropped his head into his hands.

 

\---

 

Fredrick Chilton pulled up to Hannibal's home that afternoon, locking his car before making  
his way up to the door.

 

\---

 

"Is there anything you're leaving out of the encounter, Mr. Graham?" Chilton stepped around the  
kitchen island and tilted his head at the young man, watching his face change.

 

Will frowned and avoided the eye contact. Hannibal noticed.

 

"Will, if you don't tell your defense then it'll just be brought up in the wrong end of things,  
it'll hurt your case." Hannibal urged him to speak, running a hand through his curls slowly.

 

Will closed his eyes at the touch and sighed.

 

"No...nothing..."

 

"...okay, then we should be well on the right track of proving you acted as a captured  
victim fighting his way out of an unpredictable situation." Chilton nodded to Hannibal

who returned the gesture with a slightly worried frown on his face.

 

"I have to let you know- but you didn't hear it from me..." Chilton started,  
turning back to look at the two men.

 

 

 

"...Brown is planning on acting as his own defense attorney."

 

\---


	13. Withdrawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trial begins.
> 
>  
> 
> Chilton was worried for Will's frame of mind in preparation  
> of taking the stand-
> 
> only to be surprised by a sudden sassy attitude showing through  
> before even the opening statements are presented.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *grins at sass attack*

  

 

 

Will sits calmly in his chair, his hair trimmed and combed back in a  
tamed curl. Chilton leaned over to whisper to him, raising a brow and  
leaning a bit back from his personal space when the younger man  
flinched and looked at him, broken from his thoughts.

 

 "My apologies- I just wanted to let you know.. he's going to try and rattle you.  
Just remember our practice hearing, keep stern and don't let him change your train of thought."

Chilton frowned a bit at the still fading black and blue bruises on the left side of pale thing's face

healing to a deep purple stain.

 

Will blinked a shaky nod at him and watched as Chilton hesitated for a moment,  
then reached out to adjust Will's collar of the salmon coloured button down dress shirt.

 

"I should have had Hannibal pick your outfit though-" He grumbled, bringing a  
small hidden smile to Will's lips as he glanced over to Hannibal.

 

Hannibal huffed a low laugh in the bench directly behind the two.

 

Beverly beside him beamed a wide grin, happy to see Will smile on such a  
horrible day.

 

Their amusing moment dissolved instantly when the court doors opened,  
the sound of foot steps echoing around an added tap of a cane joining the  
approaching person.

 

Everyone but Will turned to see Matthew Brown limp up to his side of the  
room, loudly scooting the chair out to sit down beside his co-counselor.

 

During the light murmuring of the crowded benches, Brown leaned forward with a smile  
to peek over at Will around Chilton. Will glanced at him for only a second before  
returning his eyes to the Judge's podium, a scowl twitched on his lips as he exhaled.

 

"Rattling.." Chilton said with a gentle touch to Will's wrist.

 

"I want to bash his face in again."

"Will-" Chilton hissed a scold.

"Withdrawn." Will raised his brows through his sarcastic mumbled return.

 

Beverly couldn't help but giggle at Will's snide remark, covering her mouth and leaning  
over to Hannibal who smirked proudly over his precious boy's attitude slowly returning.

 

\---

 

"ADA Chilton, you may produce your opening statement at this time."

 

"Thank you, Judge Du Maurier. May I just add, you look- stunning, this morning."

 

"Charming as ever, Frederick. Your statement, please."

 

Will furrowed his nose at Chilton as he stood and approached the stand, turning to whisper  
to Hannibal, "Is he flirting with the Judge?" "No. They're both a pair of bitches, you know how  
bitches get when they're in the same room together." Beverly answered first, Hannibal shrugging  
with a nod to agree with her.

 

Will rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the two, wondering just how well he could

'out-bitch' them in a short conversation. He let the interesting thought go when Chilton began

his speech.

 

"Will Graham, ladies and gentleman of the jury, has served as a police officer of the state,  
worked as a brilliant detective solving a large number of difficult crimes, has a magnificent  
mind that can unlike many of our department's competent workers, connect with a disturbed  
mind on a level of understanding that is difficult to manage. My client, Will Graham, has suffered  
a horrid ordeal at the hands of Matthew Brown, who is a very professional serial-rapist, serial-  
killer, and serial-kidnapper. Now, also, a cop killer. I hope, that through this trial, I can open  
your eyes to what this...MAN, truly is capable of." Chilton raised a hand to end his statement  
and returned to his seat.

 

Matthew grinned and played a short mocking applause at Chilton's statement. The blonde judge

banging her gavel twice to stop him- "Order, Mr. Brown." She shot a glare at him as he held

up a surrender with a smile.

 

"Brown, you've decided to act as your own defense attorney with the recommended presence  
of a co-counselor, and it's been granted. You may present your opening statement."

 

"Thank you, Judge Du Maurier- I appreciate your generosity in allowing me to speak on my own behalf.  
Also, if you'd excuse me, throughout the trial I may have some trouble hearing some things, my  
ear canal was shattered under my skull and I became deaf in one ear." Brown spoke as he  
strained to stand with the cane, stepping up to the Jury.

 

Chilton rolled his eyes at the brief pity party the man threw.

 

"Is this going to be an issue, counselor Lounds?" Bedelia asked with a tinge of annoyance on her voice.

 

"No, Judge, he has an implanted hearing aide, and I will repeat what's said if he requires me  
to do so." The small curly red headed woman answered with a short stand before sitting back down.

 

"Proceed then, Mr. Brown."

 

"Will Graham, esteemed, highly praised sort of, 'odd cop'...apparently takes on cases in a unique  
way that other's can't manage. What I'd like to bring to the Jury's attention, is that this- new  
un-common technique is what has led the young detective into this situation. I do want to  
point out that this 'detective' wasn't even technically employed specifically under the  
precincts' employ anymore. He's a teacher of criminal law at the university. My goal  
is to help you see that this was an obsession gone too far between the two of us,

beginning with Mr. Graham."

 

Matthew patted the Jury's bench divider and gave them a nod before returning to his seat.

 

Will stared with wild confused eyes at the man that limped past him, then to Chilton  
with question on his face.

 

Chilton blinked a few times and looked to Will, raising his hand slightly to keep the young  
man quiet and seated.

 

Will's neck tensed as he turned to look back at Hannibal with telling eyes, mouthing the  
surprising word 'obsession?'. Hannibal merely shook his head and gestured Will to face

forward, the young man doing so with a sour scowl on his face.

 

"Right...now that opening's have been made, we may proceed to trial. Dr. Chilton, you may  
begin by calling your first witness to the stand."

 

Chilton cleared his throat and stood, straightening his suit as he approached the front again.

 

 

 

"My first witness to the stand is Detective Jack Crawford."

 

\---


	14. Deal or No Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The new trial continues regarding Will's traumatic experience.
> 
> Afterwards, Chilton informs Will face to face of a new twist  
> that Brown has brought to the table.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (so sorry for long break on this, I'm finally back to it~)
> 
> <3

 

 

 

 

 

"Detective Jack Crawford, can you start for us, the afternoon you sent him home."

Chilton paced slowly across the courts front with papers in hand, looking to

Jack to motion he begin.

 

"I sent Graham home because I felt like Brown may have been toying with him a bit much  
for him to handle."

 

"You could tell Brown was targeting Mr. Graham?"

 

"Objection- argumentative." Brown snipped in, Chilton rolling his eyes again.

 

"I'll rephrase, you say 'toying' with Graham, can you elaborate on what you mean by this?"

 

"Brown seemed to be playing some sort of game to taunt Will in the interrogation room,  
he only paid attention to him rather than Ms. Katz, who was also in the room. He only  
wanted to tell Will the details of how he had, raped, sodomized, and tortured men and women,  
only in a hypothetical sense in order to say what he wanted without prosecuting himself."

 

"And you felt more comfortable with sending Will on a three day break from the case?"

 

"Yes."

 

"So, when did you learn that Brown had gone missing, as well as Graham?"

 

"The following afternoon, Ms. Katz and Dr. Lecter left to go check up on him. Around 6:45 pm  
I received a frantic phone call from Ms. Katz that his home had been ransacked, signs of a struggle  
and blood evidence. I instructed them to be careful not to contaminate the scene and alerted the  
force of a missing agent as soon as possible."

 

"What did you draw from the situation that lead you to believe Brown was responsible for  
his disappearance and nature of his home?"

 

"The timing was impeccable and reasonably matching up to Brown dropping from the radar.  
That and I had the strange demeanor of the interrogation to put him at the top of my list  
of suspects to the break-in and agent's disappearance."

 

"Thank you, Detective Crawford. Your witness."  
Chilton sat beside Will as Brown limped up to the stand, smiling at Jack with a curious look on his face.

 

"Jack- Detective, Crawford. It sounds to me like you're leaving certain details out of this interrogation  
that you claim leads you to believe I made Will out to be a target. Would you like to explain what  
line of questioning took place between me and the- teacher, to be specific."

 

Jack sighed and cleared his throat with a glare.

 

"I watched the interview from the other side of the glass, Will could tell that you-...that Brown had  
pegged an interest in him. He used this in a common tactic that we often use in interrogations. He  
tried to connect with Brown to get the details of his crimes out of him."

 

"Mmm..not specific enough. Did he, or did he NOT, present a sexual sense of interest in me, and  
did or did he NOT use suggestive advances in order to hear my hypothetical fantasies of rape and torture?"

 

"OBJECTION!" Chilton snapped, standing from his seat.

 

"Mr. Brown, let the witness tell his version without altercation." Bedelia said with a sigh.

Brown smirked and nodded before raising a hand. "No need. No further questions. You can call the  
next witness."

 

Chilton furrowed his brow at the man as he hobbled to his chair, squinting at the strange demeanor  
of his messy line of questioning.

 

Brown shrugged at him with a snide smile.

 

\---

 

Beverly sat nervously on the stand, keeping her eyes on Will who cracked a comforting half  
smile at her. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment before Chilton approached.

 

"Ms. Katz...thank you for being a witness today. Tell me about the day Will Graham went missing  
and you were sent after him."

 

"I...we...Dr. Lecter and I found Will's home a wreck...we went looking for him, at a loss for direction  
until we got a few hits on stolen vehicles, then the young Officer Krychek was found dead in the road  
a few yards from his patrol car. Jack sent Hannibal and I on a hunch that it had to be Brown, to search  
as far as we could manage and check all the side roads for signs of Brown or the stolen vehicles. We  
got a call from Jack later in the night that there was a possible home vacant that could be an  
opportune place to stage the rest of Will's abduction."

 

"Objection your honor, is this trial about an unfortunate officer of the law discovered on the road  
or about Will Graham's time of disappearance again?" Brown asked, not standing but simply raising  
his hand in the air with a sarcastic look on his face.

 

"Judge, it's part of the timeline leading to Mr. Graham's discovery, my witness didn't imply that  
she herself assumed the included event to be tied to Brown, but the assumption of her superior  
officer."

 

"I'll allow it, Mr. Brown, try not to be so sensitive. Witness can proceed." Bedelia rested her chin  
on her knuckles as she eyed the man, shifting her gaze back to Chilton who thanked her.

 

"Ms. Katz, can you tell me what you found when you arrived at the Mayer's home?"

 

"Yes, um, Dr. Lecter and I pulled up and just as we did, Will exited the side door onto the  
porch, the doors were sliding glass doors, he looked injured- bloodied...exhausted. I called  
for a bus and Hannibal rushed to his aide. We didn't go inside the home."

 

"Thank you, Ms. Katz. That's all for now."  
Chilton patted her hand with a smile and returned to his seat.

 

Brown once more strained as he stood, limping up to the stand.

 

"Ms. Katz, now- you say he seemed exhausted when you saw him exiting the home. Why  
do you say, exhausted?"

 

"I say exhausted because I'm sure it's exhausting to be tortured for over 16 hours straight."

 

"And not exhausted from beating a restrained human being to the brink of death with a-"

 

"OBJECTION- WILDLY SUGGESTIVE, he's twisting my witnesses words and planting hear-say  
in the jury's thoughts!" Chilton stood, the chair skirting against the wood making Will  
flinch at the sound. A horrid flash of the chair he was bound in by Matthew scrapping  
backwards when he smashed an empty bottle across his face.

 

"Mr. Brown, let the witness speak or dismiss your line of questioning. Jury will disregard  
the statement." Bedelia rubbed her temples now, growing tired of the disorderly man.

"That's alright ma'am, your honor, I'm done. For now."

 

Matt smirked over at Chilton when he mimicked his words, dragging back to his seat.

 

"Christ this is going to be a fun one..." Chilton murmured, looking over to Will.

 

"Will? Will, hey- it's alright. Are you alright?" Chilton furrowed his brows back  
to Hannibal before he rubbed the boy's back comfortingly.

 

Will nodded shakily and pushed the hand away, wiping the sweat from his forehead.  
"Just, do me a favor, if you get pissy try not to give the courtroom a heart attack with  
that loud ass chair, hm?" Will huffed with a scowl.

 

"...I see, alright. I apologize."

 

"No worries. Let's get this shit over with."

 

\---

 

After the trial, Will joined Chilton at his office late that night.

 

"I'm sorry to call you here so late, I didn't want to have this conversation over the phone."  
Chilton leaned on his desk facing Will, resting his hands together over his lap.

Will worried his eyes at the man and shrugged him to continue.

 

"...Brown brought a new deal to the table. He wants to confess."

 

"What? I..okay, so...that's good news though. Why...do you look like it's not?"

 

"He wants to confess to multiple counts of first-degree rape and sodomy on you.  
It'll get him a sentence of 25 years to life, he'll die in prison, and you wont have to  
testify in a trial."

 

"What!? He didn't do that to me- he didn't have the fucking time, or BALLS to do  
that to me! He just wants to get me to say he did as a god damn power play,  
NO, Fredrick, NO. He does NOT get to do that to me." Will shouted, slamming  
his fist into the polished wood wall as he began to pace the office.

 

"...Will...it'll get him put behind bars. 25 to life, no trial, straight to confinement.  
We don't have to risk letting him slip back onto the streets to do those things to  
other innocent victims, again."

 

"Fredrick- NO. No deal, turn it down. I'll take the stand. That's fucking final."  
Will stormed out of the office, yanking the door shut behind him.

 

"...alright...no deal." He sighed and pulled out his phone to contact Bedelia.

 

 

\---


	15. Recess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chilton refuses the deal under Will's wishes,
> 
> the trial goes on with intense moments of question  
> that forces Chilton to keep on his toes when it  
> comes to Matthew's odd sneaky tactics.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh boy.

 

 

 

   
Will showed up at Hannibal's house after meeting with Chilton.

 

Hannibal tried his best to comfort and calm the young man with food,  
different subjects of conversation and finally sitting on the couch close  
to one another.

 

Hannibal wrapped his arms around Will's shoulders, pulling him into a gentle  
embrace when the poor thing started sobbing through his stress.

 

He gripped the mess of shortened curls and pressed his lips to the top  
of his head, sighing as he closed his eyes- feeling every trembling shiver the  
furious boy tried to hide against his body.

 

The night was long filled with the frustrated longing for comfort, Hannibal filling  
the duty for him without a moment of hesitation.

 

\---

 

Throughout most of the trial two days later, Will barely listened to a single word  
said by anyone on either side of the case, the voices muffled practically to a mute in  
his ears as he stared off into the cracks of wood that formed the courts floor.

 

A single voice got his attention, the accent slipping through the foggy noise to say  
his name.

 

"-Will...it's your time to step onto the stand..." Hannibal said quietly with his hand  
resting on his shoulder. Will blinked over his shoulder to him and nodded to acknowledge  
him before standing from his chair.

 

Adjusting the black blazer Chilton had recommended over the white dress shirt, Will sat down  
behind the podium stand and looked up at Bedelia for a moment. She cracked a short smile  
at him and looked back to the court, calling Chilton to begin.

 

"...Mr. Graham...I'm not going to insult you with a list of questions. I'd like you to simply start  
from where you feel hasn't been represented properly so far in the trials and tell what you  
would want to inform the court of."

 

Chilton stepped back a foot and rested his hands in his pockets, turning his eyes from Brown  
to Will.

 

Brown raised his brows with a smirk and adjusted himself in his chair.

 

Will looked at Chilton, who nodded at him to start.

 

He swallowed and tensed his jaw, turning his eyes to Hannibal now.

 

"...I got home after being dismissed from the interrogation of Matthew Brown to find my dogs  
weren't inside anymore. After a short moment looking for them Brown came out of a shadowed  
area of my home with a handgun aimed at me. I had sat down my pistol and belt in the kitchen when  
I first came in so I had no defense. He knocked me out with his fist. I woke up and he began dowsing  
my head in alcohol- my own whiskey bottle to be specific. He threatened to blow my teeth in as he  
pressed the pistol against my mouth. I told him he should leave, that I had plans with the group to  
go out drinking. He called my bluff when he pulled out my cell phone and played...played a  
voicemail of Hanni...of Dr. Lecter asking me to reconsider my declination and join them.  
He claimed it was sweet of him to invite me again before he knocked me out again."  
Will shuddered a sigh and looked down at his bruised wrists in his lap.

 

"You can continue if you're comfortable, Mr. Graham."

 

Chilton said calmly, stepping closer to rest his hand on the podium.

 

"...I woke up when he started burning my skin with a hot iron hanger. He continued  
to burn me in various areas of my body, using a lit cigarette whenever the hanger cooled  
and needed to re-heat. He didn't stop for a..for a long while. I'm not sure how long...it felt  
like a long time."

 

Matthew rolled his eyes when Chilton reached over and pulled Will's shirt up under the blazer,  
the jury murmuring in shock when they saw the scalding stripes and dots burned into his skin.

 

Hannibal twitched a furious scowl at the sight, trying to contain his fury when he saw the pained  
look on Will's face.

 

"And when he finished this round of torture?" Chilton asked loudly for the jury to hear.

 

"...he forced at least half a bottle of vodka down my throat along with sleeping pills. I came  
in and out of consciousness for a while after that, I don't know how I was moved from vehicle to  
vehicle, but I was my most grounded when I was put under a tarp in the floor board of the  
passenger seat. That's when...I heard the police siren that pulled us over. He warned me to  
be quiet or else he'd kill the young cop."

 

"~and what'd you do sweetheart?!" Matt shouted with a grin, clapping his hands together  
once eagerly.

 

Bedelia snatched up and slammed her gavel to the wood with volume as he bellowed for  
Matthew to retain order.

 

Will jolted at the loud cracks, huffing under his breath as a panic attack threatened the  
edge of his nerves.

 

"Judge, I'd like to take a short recess, I don't think my client-"

 

"I'D LIKE TO FINISH THE CLIENTS TESTIMONY SO ME AND MY LEGAL AIDE CAN PROCEED  
PROPERLY WITH OUR COUNTER DEFENSE WITHOUT ALTERATIONS TO THE RESPONSE, YOUR HONOR."  
Matt demanded as he stood with his cane clicking harshly on the floor.

 

Chilton snapped his eyes to Brown in surprise, not expecting him to challenge his request for recess.

 

"...I'll allow the stand to finish his testimony before we take a recess. Not a single more outburst out  
of turn, Mr. Brown, I'm warning you. Not, ONE." Bedelia scowled at him before looking to Will, who's  
eyes seemed distant in the situation.

 

"...go ahead Mr. Graham." She asked quietly.

 

"...I gasped...audibly, when he opened his glove compartment, it hit my shoulder beneath the tarp  
and...startled..me...I gasped. I...Brown, took that as enough reason to kill...Officer Krychek. He  
shot him after he had asked what was in his passenger seat...then told me it was my fault he  
was...executed so brutally...it was my fault." The last words trailed off quieter as Will twitched  
a shivered frown, the sound of the bullet echoing in his ears.

 

Matthew smiled and tapped his finger to his temple before crossing his arms over his chest, almost  
in a victory when Chilton shot a furious glare over to him, understanding the sickening game  
he had implanted into Will's mind frame through the scarring ordeal.

 

He had wanted Will to believe that the officer's death was on his hands.

He had clearly managed to do so.

 

"Mr. Graham, do you want to continue or would you like a recess as we planned?"  
Bedelia asked, a slight hint of worry on her face.

 

"...Brown dragged me into the Mayer's home and took me to the bathroom first. He undid  
my jeans and handled my privates to allow me to urinate as he kept my arms fasted behind my  
back and my mouth duct-taped. He said perverse things during the brief assault and  
took me to the basement, throwing me to an antique looking twin sized bed with iron  
posts and old bedding. He taunted me for I don't know how long with a pistol to my  
throat, jaw, and cheek, at one point cocking the weapon ready for fire when he pulled  
the duct tape from my mouth and let me beg for my life. I pleaded. I tried to reason,  
I tried to submit to his fantasy in exchange for my life, he didn't buy it.

 

He wrapped an additional rope around my neck and connected it to the bar my wrists were  
bound to. He then left to find a tool to cut the rest of my clothing from my body, as he stated.  
While he was away I managed to wring and untwist the iron post he had me tied up to. I undid  
the ropes around my neck, wrists, and one ankle before I staged back to position to seem like  
I hadn't gotten for the most part free of his binds."

 

Matthew grinned through the speech, nodding as he was finally made aware of how the boy  
had managed to break free for the first time, impressed as he chuckled to himself.

 

The curly red headed woman that was his legal aide glanced at him in hidden disgust and  
shock as she listened to his amusement, feeling his excitement beaming beside her.

 

It terrified her.

 

Chilton's eyes widened when an officer handed him a small note, informing him of

a slight change to the trial before the anticipated call for break.

 

"Let's take a break, right now, please, your honor."

 

Chilton asked, stepping over to Bedelia with worry in his own eyes after the young man's  
quick horrific description of the events so far.

 

"I call for a recess, the court will be back in session in two hours."

 

Will flinched again at the smack of the gavel, closing his eyes as the room emptied  
except for his friends and colleagues.

 

  
"I need to talk to you about something I believe you've failed to mention to me, Mr. Graham."  
Chilton hissed under his breath as he leaned over the podium to guide the young man  
from the chair.

 

 

 

\---


	16. Hope You Like Ham

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chilton is furiously trying to work through his frustration  
> over the missing information Will neglected to tell him  
> in the beginning of it all.
> 
> Will's own frustration shows through as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *tsk* You dummy.

   

 

 

 

Will followed Chilton around the large hall's of the building, stopping when he grabbed  
him by the shoulder and stared furiously into his eyes.

 

Chilton wanted to try and contain his frustration toward the young man, unable to help  
eyeing the darkening bruise that stained one side of his face, the healing cuts and burns  
that peeked out of his unbuttoned suit collar on his neck. He exhaled and stayed  
stern despite his sympathetic feelings.

 

"Viva Nunez- does that name ring a bell, Will? Hm? No? Probably not, you must not have  
had enough time to ask her name when she showed up at the Mayer's home? What about  
her daughter?" Chilton kept his voice low to contain his anger.

 

Will's eyes widened as he parted his lips at a loss for words.

 

"Shit...I...I had to-"

 

"Don't you say another word if it's not going to be the truth, Will, so help me god.  
Brown has called this magic witness to the stand, and it does NOT, LOOK, GOOD."  
Chilton rubbed his eyes with a huff, shaking his head as he pulled out his cellphone.

 

"Why is he calling her- he...he was going to kill them after doing god knows what!"  
Will finally managed the words, his neck tensing over the new situation.

 

"Keep your voice down! I don't give a damn if the man was going to buy them a  
bouquet of daisies and take them to the picture show for Christ's sake, you DONT  
LEAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT- OUT OF A TRIAL- LIKE THIS. Congratulations Mr. Graham,  
you just went from looking very innocent to quite suspicious."

 

\---

 

Will sat down alone with Chilton in a room to themselves over coffee's  
and sandwiches from a lunch cart to discuss the details Will had left out.

 

"-and you say after you let them go and returned to the basement..."  
Chilton paused and did a double take up from his papers, watching Will's hand tremble  
as he poured a miniature bottle of whiskey into his coffee.

 

"..I'm going to assume you'll snap at me if I say anything about that?" He gestured  
to the drink as Will crushed the small plastic and tossed it to a bin.

 

"You'd be right to assume..." Will muttered and took a large sip from the paper cup.

 

"Wont deny a man his poison at a time like this, I suppose."  
Chilton frowned and returned to writing on his notepad.

 

Will rolled his eyes and sat back in the chair, splaying his legs lazily as he stirred the  
drink in his hand slowly while Chilton continued.

 

"You returned to the basement to find Brown had broken free of his binds, you had the  
bed post still in your hands and used it to defend yourself when he tried to reach for  
the gun and attack you. After the fight, you rebound him and didn't think to check  
his pulse as you made your way out of the house- to get away from the hostage  
situation you had been held in for so long. It's understandable. I think the jury will

understand that you simply wanted the two left out of it for your own moral reasons."

 

He finished writing and looked at Will, raising a brow when he noticed Will  
staring into the drink.

 

"You're going to be able to take the stand, right? Or should I try and get them  
to push the rest of the trial to next week? I could use the unexpected witness  
as an excuse to get more information."

 

"N-no...I fucked up, I can fix it, I want to finish. I just want to go home. I don't  
want to come back." Will chugged the last of the liquored coffee and left  
the cup on the table before standing to leave.

 

Chilton sighed and gathered his things to his satchel, closing his eyes for a moment  
when Will let the heavy door slam shut behind him.

 

"I don't get paid enough. I do not, get paid enough."

 

He muttered, picking up Will's untouched wrapped sandwich and stepping out  
of the room.

 

He turned to the officer that guarded their door and handed him the food.

 

 

 

"Hope you like ham."

 

\---

 

Hannibal, Beverly, and Jack all watched in confusion when the young Latino  
woman was called to the witness stand by Brown and Judge Du Maurier.

 

"Viva Nunez, please introduce yourself for the court." Bedelia stated, turning  
a paper over as she studied it and looked to the woman.

 

"I...My name is Viva Nunez. I work for Mr. and Mrs. Mayer's as a maid."

 

"Thank you Ms. Nunez, Mr. Brown you can go ahead."

 

Brown cleared his throat loudly as he stood, limping over to the witness stand  
and looking over his shoulder to Will with a sly smirk on his face.

 

Will scowled at him, eyes burning holes into the back of the man's broad  
shoulders when he turned back around towards the woman.

 

"Ms. Nunez, it's a pleasure to meet you again. I have to apologize for our first  
encounter, I may have been under a bit of stress. How's your daughter?"

 

Brown placed his hand over hers on the wooden barrier, smiling when  
she snatched it away with fearful eyes.

 

"MR. BROWN, BEHAVE OR I'LL HOLD YOU IN CONTEMPT OF THIS COURT, BEGIN  
YOUR LINE OF QUESTIONING OR I'LL DISMISS YOUR WITNESS." Bedelia slammed  
the gavel once to catch his attention, glaring at him in disgust.

 

"Final warning- I see, I apologize. Ms. Nunez, Viva, dear, after Mr. Graham here  
untied you and your darling daughter in the living room of the Mayer's home,  
can you describe to the court what happened from that point on?"

 

Brown leaned on his cane, resting his other hand in his pocket.

 

Viva stared at the crescent shaped scar that wrapped around Matthew's eye  
from the healing socket, then shifted her eyes to Will and frowned at his  
painted bruises.

 

Will blinked at her and nodded with a small smile, urging her to be honest, to silently  
tell her not worry about the repercussions the answers came with.

 

He could tell she was concerned for him. It almost brought a comfort to him to  
feel her kindness and grateful demeanor.

 

"Mister Graham came up from the basement that the horrible man had went down  
after tying me and my daughter together in the living room...Mister Graham looked  
terrible...bloody, bruised...he smelled strong of alcohol and...and almost like burnt  
flesh and smoke. He looked like he should be, should be dead...it was terrifying and  
sad to see. He dropped a large metal pipe and cut us loose, urging us back out of the  
doors the bad man had dragged my daughter through."

 

"Let me stop you right there for a moment, Viva dear. When this, walking zombie-"

 

"Your honor, inappropriate!?" Chilton snapped, raising and dropping his hand to his  
thigh in disbelief the man felt so free to mock Will in front of a court.

 

"Withdrawn, I'll rephrase."  
Matt blinked an innocent face to Bedelia and continued as she sighed.

 

"This battered young man, he URGED you out the back door. Can you be more detailed,  
did he, did he say something that you would like to share with us that you shared with  
the authorities when they came and questioned you that day?"

 

Viva adjusted in her seat nervously and nodded with a frown, looking to Will again.

 

"Y-yes...I didn't, I didn't contact the policia. They showed up, when, Mr. and Mrs. Mayer's  
told them I had been expected that afternoon with my daughter."

 

"Answer the question, Ms. Nunez, how did this bloody man urge you out of the home?"  
Matthew suddenly didn't seem so amused anymore, halting his pace as he stopped  
a few feet in front of Chilton and Will, staring right at Will with stern eyes that  
almost seemed angry as he chewed the inside of his cheek, hand gripping the cane  
till his knuckles turned pale white.

 

Will furrowed his brows and stared back into the threatening green eyes while Viva  
answered.

 

Hannibal could practically feel his thigh begin to painfully protest how hard he was  
gripping it in fury at the sight of Brown pinning Will like that. Beverly reached over  
and rested her hand on his clenching fist, hoping to keep him stable before he ended  
up lunging over the seats to tear the man to shreds.

 

"Mister Graham...said, that the policia would separate me and my daughter if we stayed  
or contacted them...he told us to forget any of it happened, and that he would be okay  
but we couldn't speak of it."

 

Jack almost audibly groaned but stifled it as he heard the statement.

 

Matthew stayed put as he tilted his head a bit, then finally turned back to the woman  
with a small falter on his step.

 

"So Mr. Graham, threatened you with immigration and child protective services to,  
rip your sweet little girl from your life and send you back across the border in order-  
to keep your silence about any of this happening! That anything that took place  
while you were there, never really happened, right!?"

 

Matthew chuckled as he asked her and the entire court the question.

 

"..I didn't feel threatened by Mister Graham- I understood that-"

 

"No, you, UNDERSTOOD that you were fleeing from the scene of a crime that,  
VERY clearly didn't seem very promising towards a good outcome, is that right?"

 

"...I left for the safety and protection of my daughter."

 

"Mmhm, under Will Graham's proposed threats though. Not the state. I don't, see CPS  
dragging your little girl away, I don't, see, Immigration Services tossing you in the  
back of a bus and heading for Mexico, no, the state actually HELPED you acquire a  
status in order to sit in THAT CHAIR, RIGHT NOW! So, these things Mr. Graham  
here told you, those were THREATS, ma'am. You believed him because he WANTED you  
to believe him. That way, he could do what EVER he pleased without any witnesses"

 

Viva wiped a tear from her cheek and sniffed, looking to Will then to the shouting man  
who finally stopped with a huff and smiled at her. Like someone had wiped the loud fury  
from his face with a single swipe of a cloth to swap for an instantly charming expression.

 

"Don't cry dear, it's hard to learn that you've been lied to, or tricked. I have no further  
questions for this witness but I'd like to finish my testimony once she's cross examined  
and released, your honor." Matt turned his eyes from the young woman to Bedelia,  
who seemed slightly disgruntled over the new information.

 

"That's fine." She finally answered, Matt half-bowing before returning to his seat.

 

Chilton stood and glanced at Will, who's eyes haven't left Matthew for a minute.

 

"Stay with me, Will." He said quietly with two taps of his knuckle on the desk to  
catch the young man's attention.

 

Will blinked a few times and shuddered a sigh, turning his focus back to Chilton and Viva.

 

 

 

\---


	17. Subdued Threats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chilton takes a calmer approach questioning Viva Nunez  
> compared to Brown's lashing vulgarity. 
> 
> Both Chilton and Brown present their final statements before  
> the jury is released to make their decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *taps fingers rhythmically on keys in silent debate*

  

 

 

 

"Ms. Nunez, I'm not going to be harsh or- rude. With you. I'm just going to ask you a  
few simple questions, there's no wrong answer, just tell me and the court how you feel  
and you can go home to your daughter, be done with this horrible ordeal and put it  
all behind you. It's unfair what you're being put through and I'm terribly sorry for what  
your poor girl must be feeling. I do hope the authorities and court are providing  
you and her with the proper means of support and aide, right?"

 

Chilton stepped over to her, keeping his hands respectively away from her as he held  
his paperwork.

 

"Yes...they have a very good doctor watching her and talking to help her. Thank you."

 

"That's good, I'm glad. Ms. Nunez, can you tell me just, purely your emotions through  
the event, if you can?"

 

"I..don't know how else to put it other than, this man took my daughter, it shocked  
me...it was terrifying, as he tied us up...I fought, I was scared, but he was much  
stronger than me. When Mister Graham came, I felt sad, scared for him...not of him.  
He freed us, I was not afraid of what he was saying, I was afraid for being there. I wanted  
to leave, to run with my daughter as fast as possible, but I felt worried for the boy.  
He convinced me he would be fine."

 

"Let the record show that when Ms. Nunez is mentioning this 'man' she is gesturing toward  
Mr. Brown. So, despite Graham's vocalized concern for your life outside of the situation, you weren't the  
MOST worried about that, but for his well-being and the intensely dangerous situation  
you were in?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Did you feel like Mr. Graham was threatening you then, and do you believe that he was now?"

 

"No, not at all. I still believe he was, doing what he could think of to protect us."

 

"Thank you Ms. Nunez, that's all."

Chilton nodded to Bedelia and she allowed Viva to leave the stand.

 

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, Will Graham, simply wanted to PROTECT, this innocent  
woman and her child from staying anywhere NEAR the horrible hostage kidnapping he's  
endured for over 16 hours at this point. He had no ill-intentions or threatening composure  
toward her while, IN HIS MENTALLY, AND PHYSICALLY BATTERED STATE, hoped he could  
spare them any trouble in their lives. That they had just been in the wrong place, at the  
WRONG, time. He meant no harm, and didn't bring her presence to the authorities  
attention in order to keep his intent of shielding them from the public and state's  
sometimes unrelenting eye. Keep this in mind and think back to exactly why we're  
really here, in this court room."

 

Chilton finished and stepped back to his seat, placing his hand on Will's thigh beneath  
the desk to comfort him.

 

Will glanced at him and swallowed hard with a shaky nod. "I'm fine."

 

 

\---

 

Brown, with a chuckle, stood from his chair and sighed, his cane tapping along side  
his steps as he faced the Jury.

 

"Ladies and gentlemen- I can only say, that without any witnesses on MY side past  
Ms. Nunez's departure, I hope you understand that this man, this, victim, detective,  
teacher, whatever you want to call him. He closed those sliding doors and picked up  
that iron bed post. He came down those stairs. He saw I was still properly restrained  
and well past what was needed to disable me from any further attempts to attack."

Matthew grinned as he scoffed and continued his straining angry statement.

 

  
"Will Graham, grew frustrated, and despite his professional training and duty to up hold a reasonable  
reaction to such a situation, he decided to PUMBLE, AND BEAT, to the BRINK of DEATH,  
with a SOLID, IRON, PIPE- a man that was already properly immobilized, bound, and  
constrained to far BEYOND all the necessary limitations common in basic police work? Once my  
arm was broken, kneecap shattered, and ribs cracked, was that not ENOUGH?! Did the  
detective NEED, to use the iron post to break my eye socket and blind my left eye? Did  
the detective NEED, to rupture my ear canal with his violent swing to my head, or the  
NEED to crack my skull and VERY nearly scramble my brains!? ANY, ONE, OF THESE BLOWS  
ALONE WOULD HAVE BEEN BEYOND ENOUGH TO SUBDUE ME! THIS, was an abuse, an assault,  
a furious play on power and authority that went much too far to be within legal standings.  
Ladies and gentlemen, this man, tried to MURDER me. If you can't see that by now, I hope  
you can soon. Thank you."

 

Brown turned his back to the jury as he limped across the court, casting one more glance  
and a wink as he passed Will and Chilton.

 

"Alright, the hearing is dismissed for the jury to decide their verdict, we will resume once  
the final say is cast." Bedelia slammed the gavel and stood, running her hand through her  
blonde hair with a sigh as the crowd murmured and stood.

 

"What do you think...will happen?" Will asked Hannibal as the man stood close to him, his hand rested on  
the his hip gently as he answered.

 

"I think he sounded like a violent offender grasping at straws. I think you'll be fine, and this  
will end the way it should- with him behind bars." Hannibal exhaled and pressed a light  
kiss to Will's combed curls.

 

Will kept his eyes down as he accepted the sweet embrace.

 

 

 

Chilton rolled his eyes and walked behind them to join Jack as he left the courtroom.

 

 

\---


	18. Icing On The Cake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew is finally sent to prison for his horrible crimes.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Strangely enough, he still has an odd fan-base,
> 
> including a young woman willing to do what she can  
> to try and fight for the man's freedom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *rubs hands over face in frustration*
> 
>  
> 
> *times a thousand*
> 
> *and two*

   

 

  
The last, quick, short end to the trial went by without much fuss at all.

 

The jury voted Matthew Brown guilty of multiple counts of kidnapping, molestation,  
assault, battery, and many more charges to put him away for life without a chance  
for parole. Only a single vote by a woman named Bronwyn Freed was put towards letting

the man free with a 'time served' sentence. It was ignored as soon as it was brought to the table.

 

Will was dismissed with a simple infraction of disturbing the process of law by withholding  
evidence of a potentially useful witness, temporarily stripped of his duties with the  
detective agency as well as his daily teaching employment for at least 3 months  
in order to receive mental care and evaluation.

 

Hannibal assured the group that he would take good care of the young man as his desired  
mental practitioner and psychologist, once again in his life.

 

They were all content with the outcome, happy to see Matthew Brown locked in cuffs and  
lead out of the court to never walk the streets again.

 

\---

 

Hannibal cracked an eye open when Will whimpered in his sleep on the couch, wrapping his  
injured arms around the man's thighs tighter as he tried to fight away the silent nightmare.

 

He frowned and ran is hand through the chocolate short curls with a tired sigh.

 

"I should have...made sure..." Will mumbled with a whine, scrunching his face and  
turning to shove his nose into Hannibal's stomach, pushing a long exhale back to sleep.

 

"...no, Will.....I should have. I should have everything..."

 

Hannibal closed his eyes again to contain his anger and focused on comforting the boy.

  
One day, though. He wondered. One day. If he had the chance.

 

 

 

 

He wondered how fast Matthew could run with that well deserved limp.

 

\---

 

 

A month passed with Matthew befriending his cell mate without an issue.

 

The one jury member who had asked for a time served sentence for Matthew stood  
in her kitchen for three hours, slaving over her kitchen counter and oven as she cracked  
a pill open over each cupcake she baked, mixing the powder into the icing carefully.

 

The next day she showed up for visitation with the container of cupcakes, having the  
guards deliver the gift of treats to her 'lover'.

 

They did a brief check in the container, carefully pulling the cupcake wrappers down  
to be sure there wasn't any restricted items hidden before covering it and taking it to  
the visitation area Matthew was waiting in.

 

\---

 

Matt's cell mate laughed and turned the page of the comic book his friend had sent him, laying  
comfortably in the bottom bunk while he read out loud for Matt to enjoy as well.

 

Matthew sat in the top bunk with the container of cupcakes, scraping the frosting off with his  
fingers and licking them clean as quick as possible.

 

His cell mate turned the page again and scoffed before finishing the punch line, gasping when

Matt fell from the mattress above him, harsh and loud with a violent thud to the cement ground.

 

"What the fuck- what the FUCK, MATTY, HEY, HEY- GUARD!! GUARD!! HELP!!"

 

He panted as he tried to steady Matthew's breathing, slamming his fist onto his chest when  
he saw Matt turning from a pale pink and white to a deepening blue and purple, his bright green eyes  
rolling back into his head to show nothing but veiny whites as he began wheezing and gurgling  
white foam from his lips.

 

"GUARD! SOMEONE, ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME, HE'S DYING!!! SOMEONE FUCKING GET HELP!!!"

 

 

\---

 

A group of doctors and nurses all rushed Matthew down a hall on a gurney, shouting to one another  
as they held an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth. The fluorescent lights blurred quickly away  
like an unintentional seizure inducing scene as he was rolling through the narrow area.

 

He blinked a few times to unroll his eyes from his unconscious state, slowly taking in the situation  
when no one looked down at him as they flustered around to get him to ICU.

 

Matthew's memories finally returned as he painfully strained a crooked grin beneath the oxygen mask.

 

 

Perfect.

 

 

 

Well done, Bronwyn.

 

 

('I'll have to send her a card.')

Matthew thought to himself as he struggled to breathe against his tightened lungs.

 

 

"He's awake-"

 

 

\---

 

Hannibal woke when Will jolted awake to the vibrate of his phone under the pillow.

 

They both laid silent as Will squinted and opened the message from Jack,

 

(Matthew Brown is being moved to the ICU from a drug overdose. Don't panic. Just keeping you up to date

so you aren't surprised. Keep in close contact with everyone.)

 

Before Will could even react to Jack's text, Beverly sent one that popped up instantly on his screen-

 

(Come have a drink with me, bring Hannibal? Please? I'm worried and kind of freaking out...)

 

Hannibal just managed to read the last message before Will chucked his cell across the room,

drawing the blankets up over his head and turning to shove his face into Hannibal's chest.

 

"...I know...it's okay. We'll stay here...Will...go to sleep." Hannibal whispered into the messy curls

and held Will in a hug beneath the covers, closing his eyes when he felt the young man exhale against

his collar bone and remain quiet.

 

 

"Thank you..." Will finally muttered tearfully, falling asleep in Hannibal's strong comforting arms.

 

 

Hannibal wanted to smile, but couldn't.

 

Despite the beautiful young man clinging to him, so damaged and terrified over the news,

 

he remained in his position to help Will go back to sleep.

 

 

\---


	19. M  A  N  H  U  N  T

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will get's a surprise call.
> 
>  
> 
> Jack's not ready to put Will back into the mix, especially when he's  
> made aware that the convict may have a determined goal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Curses..

  

 

 

 

Will waited patiently in line for the food truck, just one person in front of him before  
he stepped forward to buy a hotdog.

 

"Thanks, have a good one." Will smiled at the vendor and headed down the crowded sidewalk in the  
middle of the large bustling city.

 

"Mm?" Will took another bite of the warm snack, pulling his phone out when it buzzed a few times.

A video call from an unrecognized number?

 

He tapped the screen to open it, the lock code fading away to pull up the video chat.

 

His steps halted instantly when the face appeared on his phone, the crescent scar wrapped  
from the man's cheek bone and curving up to his brow beneath short black hair. The background  
a peek of a car window that showed passing traffic from inside a moving vehicle. The man grinned  
into the camera, shifting his eyes from the road for a moment to make a distant eye contact with  
Will through the device. His heart pounding hastened in his chest as he stared into the villainously

wicked green eyed gaze.

 

 

*("Morning, gorgeous. Miss me?")*

 

After a bloodcurdling wink above the sinister grin, 

The call ends.

 

Will unfroze and looked around the crowd, scanning the hundreds of faces and cars that drove up and down  
the roads and created delays in intersections, eyes darting wide in terror- suddenly feeling like the  
crowd was a very dangerous place to be.

 

The shifted feeling of a normal day turning so abruptly to becoming vulnerable prey of an invisible predator  
caused him to ignore the many texts and calls flooding his phone from Hannibal and the team.

 

Passing strangers circled and curved in a blur around him, like a rock planted in the center of a flowing  
stream as he twisted around in search of the menacing threat.

 

\---

 

Will enters the cop filled area of headquarters with Hannibal at his side, the two stopping to stand a few  
feet from Jack as he spoke to the gathered force.

 

"Around 10:30 last night Brown, after complaining of chest pains and falling from his bunk, was transferred  
from Rikers to Bellevue prison ward. They made all attempts to resuscitate him but failed, but by some god forsaken  
curse this bastard has cast upon us he miraculously came back to life on the gurney 10 minutes after he was  
pronounced dead. Because of his condition he was held overnight for observation. Brown at some point used  
his infamous charm to convince a DOC officer to uncuff him. He then snapped this officers neck and has since  
been missing as of 8:15 am this morning." Jack scowled through his speech, pausing when Beverly spoke.

 

Will cringed as he shut his eyes tight, his mind getting away from him as he imagined himself as the man murdering

another cop in order to continue his pursuit for him.

 

"How did he get out of the ward?" Beverly asked, looking up from her notepad in confusion.

 

"We don't know. His nurse was found...raped and hanging in the closet. She's still unconscious. Her car keys, her  
cell phone, and purse are all missing. We put an alert out for the car, take note the plates are-"

 

"It wont matter. Brown will abandon the vehicle before he escapes the city." Brian pitched in with a shrug of his shoulders.

 

"I don't believe Mr. Brown will be leaving the city." Hannibal added, the uniformed crowd turning to him when he spoke.

 

Will glanced at Hannibal and exhaled as he rubbed his face, shifting his eyes to Jack.

 

"Matthew called me on video this morning. He said he misses me." He dipped his head down and shoved his hands  
in his pockets to try and sink away from the many eyes worrying over him, turning just a bit to step behind Hannibal's  
shoulder. The attention felt like an assault alone on himself.

 

Jack looked dumbfounded over the late retrieved information, but turned it quickly to his senses.

 

"You're off this. No, you weren't even on it, Graham, you're as far away from this as I can manage to GET you. I'm  
putting you under protective custody, you'll have two officers with eyes on you at all times and get placed in a  
hotel until this blows over. I don't want you even answering your cell phone unless it's ME or Dr. Lecter."

 

"Jack-"

 

"YOU CANNOT BE PART OF A MANHUNT, WHEN THE TARGET OF THE MAN WE ARE HUNTING, IS YOU! THAT'S FINAL."

 

"I don't need protection-"

 

"That's not your decision. You're not going ANYWHERE."

 

Will's face twisted in frustration as the burly man started throwing orders and instructions to various officers,  
the crowd scattering under the commands with 'Yes Sir's' and 'Roger's'.

 

Hannibal rested a hand on Will's shoulder to steady him as he shook his head.

 

"He's as stubborn as you are. You have to understand why that causes him to push as hard as he can against you, Will."

 

"Yeah- well he could do a little less pushing me down and a lot more pulling his head out of his ass."  
Will snarled and walked to the common area with Hannibal at his side.

"I did NOT hear that." Beverly mumbled, sarcastically pushing her fingers in her ears as she hurried past the two.  
"My ears are burning but I don't know why." Brian added following right behind her with wide amused eyes.

 

 

 

"That's my boy." Hannibal smirked at the disgruntled young man with a huff.

Will rolled his eyes at the smart-assed trio.

 

\---

 


	20. A Novel of Emotions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew Brown makes progress with his escape,
> 
> deciding it's time to contact Will again, he has a guest  
> to accompany him for this call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is seriously the beginning of a really difficult part I've   
> been struggling to write, it's hard to convey so bear with  
> me if the rest of this just, is poor. 
> 
> :/

 

  

 

 

Matthew sat parked in an alley, sitting in the drivers seat as he ate a sandwich from a small  
pink and pastel blue lunch box, rocking his shoulders to an old R&B song blasting  
on the radio.

 

"You like this kinda music, darlin?!" Matt called out over the song with a mouth full of  
the crust-less sandwich, looking in the rearview mirror at the young girl in the backseat.

 

Around 12 years old, the child's red curly hair tied up in a messy ponytail, she tried to hold  
back tears as she stared at the stranger in front of her, arms tied behind her back and ankles  
bound & buckled in the middle of the back.

 

Matt raised a brow and turned to look back at her. He popped the last bite of the sandwich  
in his mouth and chewed it as he spoke to her.

 

"Nah? Eh, you're young, you wouldn't know much about good ol' Salt' and Pepper." He swallowed. 

 

"Want me to call your mum, sweetie? Or someone who would make you feel better? You're  
so quiet back there, I'm surprised you're not a mess. I'm proud of you, tough cookie."

 

He smirked and held the stolen cell phone up in question as he raised both brows now.

She nodded and shifted her eyes from the scar on Matthew's face to the phone he waved.

 

"Mmkay- well...I'm sure mommy can't answer right now in the condition I left her in...so,  
let's try for a close friend of mine, hm? I hope he'll answer. For your sake, though, y'know?"

 

Matt wiped some crumbs from his lips and tapped the screen a few times, pulling out the  
capri-sun from the girl's lunchbox and shoving the straw in real quick while it rang.

 

"...hm, that's five...six rings...ten's my cut off, let's see how much they care about you."

 

Seven rings.

 

Eight rings.

 

Nine.

 

\---

 

At the hotel that Hannibal and Jack had selected for him, Will and the two officers sat  
in the lobby area beside the cafeteria.

 

  
Will straightened when he felt his phone buzzing in his pocket. Glancing up from his salad  
that he was shoving around with a fork for so long- the two 'body guards' laughed together  
at the barista table beside him over conversation, he peeked at it secretively for  
a quick second to see it wasn't Hannibal or Jack or any of the team.

 

"I have to go to the bathroom. Can I be excused?" Will said quickly with annoyance on his tone  
to keep the panic hidden.

 

The female guard gestured to the male one, who nodded and sighed as he stood.

"Thanks for the sacrifice." Will muttered as he followed the tall blonde officer to the restrooms.  
He waited impatiently as the man checked each stall. "All good. Go ahead."

 

Will stepped up to one and paused, looking at the young built cop with a raised brow.  
"You want an audio tape or something of me taking a shit? I can send you one  
if it's important to you."

 

The officer practically burned bright red in his face as he cleared his throat and nodded to  
him once with a tight line on his lips. "Sorry."

 

Will laughed shortly and watched him leave, hurrying into the stall and whipping his cell out.

Without even paying attention to the number or name, he swiped the video chat open  
as soon as he saw the option on thankfully still vibrating the device.

 

He tensed in anticipation when Matthew's face appeared once again on his phone screen.

 

"Mr. Graham, my little tortured genius, I didn't think you'd be allowed to answer! God, good  
thing you did, I wouldn't have been too happy if you didn't and I would hate for you to find  
out I took my anger out on little Pipi Longstocking here. She already had her lunch stolen  
from her, so, I'm already a gigantic bully in her pretty green eyes."

 

Matthew turned the camera over his shoulder now to show Will the child with tear streaked  
freckled cheeks, his heart dropping straight down to his stomach when she sobbed and  
pleaded for her mother.

 

"I want mommy, please, my mommy! He hurt my mom, I want to talk to mom~!"  
It was almost disturbingly comical to Matthew when the girl cried while the r&b still  
played in the background.

 

"HEY! What'd I say about speaking out of TURN!?" Matt bellowed, his calm taunting demeanor  
slipping away in an instant when he snapped furiously at the young girl.

 

Will's hand flew up over his mouth when the girl yelped in terror at the man's suddenly  
frightening tone, whimpering to stifle her crying under the stern long glare he gave her.

 

He looked back at the camera now, his calmer face returning like a page turning in a book  
from the shifted emotion. With a crooked smirk, he huffed, looking right into the lens  
to meet Will's wide worried eyes.

 

"Sorry, I guess cat's out of the bag now. I 'hurt mommy'."

 

"-I want mommy~" The girl whined quietly as she teared up all over again.

Matt licked his lips when he heard her complaint, chuckling as he rolled his eyes.

 

"Sorry to have to hang up so soon, but it seems I need to re-assert some control  
at the moment. Do me a favour and keep an eye out for where I'd like to meet  
you, right then gorgeous? You can sneak that cute little rump out of that hotel  
I'm sure they holed you up in. Right? Right. Toodles."

 

"MATT DON'T-!" Will covered his mouth again when the call ended, the screen asking  
him to rate the quality of the call with five empty stars.

 

"Shit..shit shit shit..." Will shoved the phone in his dark green jacket pocket and flushed  
nothing, peeking out of the bathroom door to lean out and see the blonde male officer  
had returned to the table with his partner. He blinked down when the phone buzzed once,  
quickly checking it he read the address sent from the random number in a text. 

 

He slipped out and made his way down the hall towards the back exit into the alley, holding the heavy  
door to let it quietly shut before darting out to the street and beckoned a cab.

 

When one pulled up, he snatched his pistol out aiming it at the window, rounding the front  
as he held his badge up in his other hand, shouting for the man to exit the vehicle.

 

"This is an emergency police situation, I have to commandeer this car, please step  
out!" Will yanked the door open and helped the confused surrendering man out  
before hopping in and slamming the gear back to drive.

 

"What am I supposed to do about-!?" The man shouted, cringing when the cab's tires  
screeched and burnt out down the road with speed, several oncoming cars honking  
and swerving to avoid the reckless driving man.

 

 

 

\---


	21. Observe or Participate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew introduces Will to a part of his plan for the slow  
> dawning morning, holding everything he can against the defenseless  
> young man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sighs in frustration*

  

 

 

 

The two officers frowned, almost sinking down their heights as they stood outside the hotel on the sidewalk.  
Jack blaring his fury beside his car. "You LOST him, you LOST, HIM!? I'm still trying to understand  
what that even MEANS to lose someone who's the target of an escaped felon in a bathroom the  
size of a KITCHENETTE!!!"

 

"I..it was my fault chief, I decided he deserved a bit of privacy...he took a while and I left my  
spot in front of the room. I assumed the fact that I could still see the door from there would be  
suffice monitoring. He must have slipped out at just the right moment, sir."

 

"Oh? Good, good, I'm glad he's got IMPECCABLE timing then! Otherwise I'd still have my officer  
under protective custody! Not waving his gun in people's faces so he can carjack them and drive  
like a maniac through the city like a loose animal, right!?" Jack pounded his fist to the trunk of  
his car and cursed through his frustration, the female cop raising a brow to the sulking blonde  
male.

 

"Get your asses to your vehicle and you FIND him. Brown broke into his old legal counselor's home,  
Freddie Lounds, he attacked her and has her daughter hostage, hopefully still alive. Chances are he's using  
this as a way to lure Will to some isolated venue to finish the job. This just became a lot more fucked than the  
two of you could apparently comprehend. You know the taxi cab number, hopefully you know  
what Will Graham looks like too since you haven't really displayed any serious interest in his safety. GO!"

 

They stumbled a bit beside each other before hurrying off to their car to obey the orders.

 

\---

 

After Hannibal received the call from Jack that Will had slipped protective custody, he immediately jumped

in the drivers seat of Beverly's BMW as she accepted the passenger seat with their Kevlar and weapons in

her arms. She fumbled for her seatbelt when the man took off with wild speed out of the lot.

 

\---

 

Will spun his hands over the steering wheel as he skidded through a turn onto a dirt road, following  
the directions that Matthew had sent him. Before he had received the coordinates, a picture of the young  
girl was sent to him, her wrists bound above her head as her toes barely touched the dusty cement, hanging from  
a large metal hook attached to an uncovered ceiling beam. The caption; ("You alone. Any hint of anyone else,  
I slit her throat.")

 

He parked in the open area of an abandoned construction site, the tan dirt and dust puffing up in large clouds  
after he had spun the vehicle into the large lot. He slammed on the brakes and put it in park, his heart beating  
violently in his chest as he looked around for a moment.

 

Exiting the cab, he looked around the now night darkened environment, a few tall wired poles dimly lighting the  
space.

 

"MATT?! I'M HERE! IT'S JUST ME, COME OUT, LEAVE THE GIRL ALONE!"

 

Will worried his eyes around still in desperate search, freezing when he turned to see Matt standing a few feet  
away with a gun aimed at him.

 

"Matt...where is she...is she-"

 

"Shh, mm, no, quiet. I'll take things from here. Hands behind your head and face the cab. Don't try any shit with me."

 

"Okay...alright..." Will obeyed, turning his back to him with his hands wrapped behind his head. "-just, tell me she's  
okay, that she's alive..Matt." Will tensed his neck as a shudder shot down his spine, the man closing in and pressing the  
pistol to the back of his head- the dreaded familiar hands running over his body to search him.

 

Will huffed when Matt found his gun, unloaded it and tossed the parts into the dirt mounds along  
with his badge.

 

"It's really good to see you again, Willy. Oh, this should go too, hm?" Brown scoffed and chucked Will's  
cell phone after ripping the battery from it.

 

Will scrunched his brows and kept steady as the man continued to pat him down, fluttering fearful blinks  
up to the sky when Matthew slid his hand down the front of his lose jeans to grope around his privates.

 

"Fuckin' cut the shit, Matt...take me to her, please, god..." Will tried to maintain his composure and gritted  
his teeth when Brown inhaled against his flushed nervous face.

 

"Alright sweetheart. Let's go then." Matthew finally said, suddenly snatching Will's jacket collar down to  
take it off of him and replaced the pistol edge to his throat when he faced him now in just the jeans and  
grey sweat drenched t-shirt.

 

Matt smirked and eyed the tense young man, pushing the gun harder against his adams apple to marvel at  
the choked protest he emitted.

 

"You be a good boy and you'll get to the girl just fine, right?"

 

Will glared at the taunting green eyes with a mixture of fury and terror as he answered with a shaken nod.

 

"Good. Move." Matthew shoved Will harshly and kept the weapon pressed against the back of his neck as  
he guided the young detective toward the abandoned unfinished half-skyscraper sized building.

 

Will kept his arms up beside his ears as he dragged his feet, hoping to create a clearer impression  
of their direction if anyone were to catch on and find their where-a-bouts.

 

He furrowed his brows when he heard Matthew drop something and say, "A little gift for your friends."

 

\---

 

Will gasped and hastened his steps when he climbed the final flight of stairs, spotting Freddie Lound's  
daughter hanging by her wrists from the ceiling beam.

 

"Hey- it's okay, I'm a cop, everything's going to be okay I'm gonna get you outta here, okay-"

 

"MOVE. Little Amelia's staying right there." Matthew shoved Will away from her, pushing the gun to the back  
of his neck harder as he forced him to one side of a medium sized dusty steel table. "Matt, you've got me now, let  
her go." Will huffed as the man kept the gun still aimed at him while handcuffing one of his wrists  
to the table leg's top edge.

 

"Mmhm." Matthew hummed a response, nothing more as he crouched down to tie ropes around his  
ankles tightly against the table legs bottoms. Will looked down to see the pistol pressed upwards  
into his ribs, frowning fearfully when he noticed the bottom of the steel table was skillfully drilled  
down to the concrete floor, the object unmovable.

 

He grunted when he was suddenly pushed down hard, the side of his face slamming into the cold  
metal as Matt's strong hand pinned him against it by his neck. The strain of his wrist twisting in the  
cuffs made him wince in recognized pain, the past event flashing back to his nerves bound in the  
old antique bed.

 

"As much as I want to do this..." Matt growled as he bit his lip, grinding his crotch against Will's rear  
a few times, grinning when the younger man tensed up and told the girl to close her eyes.

 

Will tried to think of what to do, knowing that even with one free hand the man had every advantage  
over him, he focused his thoughts on how to escape or at least get the girl out to safety. The thought  
process did little to help him ignore the hands that slid up his shirt, down his skin to the back hem of  
his jeans with a light tug.

 

"She doesn't need to look away. I'm on a time sensitive schedule...sadly. Otherwise we could have our  
fun till daylight. I know they'll be here in about an hour at least. I need that time for my little game."

 

Matt grabbed Will by his curls and yanked him back upright, kissing the side of his neck with a smirk.  
Will exhaled a trembled breath when the hands left his body along with the hard pistol.

 

He wondered for a while why the man had left one of his hands uncuffed, watching him round  
to the other side of the table.

 

"We're going to play now, Mr. Graham. It's up to you if little Amelia is going to observe, or participate."  
Matthew said calmly, setting a walkie talkie on the table before he opened the revolver's chamber.

 

"...don't involve her. Why not just let her go, she's no help to you now, you've already-"  
Will paused, his eyes shifting from the man's face to the dropping bullets scattering to table and rolling  
off to the dirty floor.

 

Matt looked at Will and smiled, looking back to the gun as he placed a single bullet back in the chamber by itself.

 

"Matt...what do you want..?" Will swallowed hard, glancing to the crying girl with worry.

 

"I want you to participate without any issue so we can enjoy the game. If you don't, I'll just play with her."  
Matthew spun the revolvers chamber before snapping it shut, Will flinching at the sound and began to  
breath heavier as he anticipated the upcoming horrors. Matt grinned and aimed the gun at Amelia.

 

"MATT STOP-! F-fuck..fine...I'll play. Don't fucking...just stop fucking pointing it at her!"  
Will tried to contain the crack in his voice as he looked back and forth between the child and Matthew.

 

 

"Alright, we've got a game then, Willy."

 

\---


	22. Nothing To Win

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew immediately begins the game,
> 
> sending Will into a state of pure terror in the dangerous contest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *apologizes for short chapter*
> 
> I'm afraid to finish so I'm a douche bag cutting it up   
> in smaller pieces, sue me lol *frowns*
> 
> (I'm also running out of relevant gifs, dammit. Ugh.)

   

 

 

 

The force had managed after some time to track the last few calls on Will's phone records, pinning almost  
too easily the abandoned construction site.

 

Jack, Hannibal and Beverly all rushed to the area with a full SWAT team on their heels.

"Jesus...there's got to be a thousand places he could be holding them." Beverly muttered with a frown, looking  
up at the tall rusty unfinished building.

 

"Listen up, keep your eyes peeled, Graham doesn't have his phone or weapon, rounds haven't been spotted yet,  
that's his jacket, this is the cab he took, and we're positive that Brown has Freddie Lound's daughter somewhere  
here, hopefully alive. On the off chance that he has abandoned the child and tricked Will into coming to save her, the  
priority is finding out where he has him held. That's our best luck on finding Brown himself to take down. Let's move-"

 

They all treaded quiet and carefully around the first floor, finding the stairs and climbing them in a silent swarm.

 

"Spread out on each floor-"

 

"Jack." Beverly cut him off with a raised hand, stopping the force in their tracks for a moment before a faint noise was  
heard.

 

They all turned their heads in the direction of the sound, a click before a static hiss, they all tensed when Brown's  
voice was heard.

 

~~~~

 

("I'll go first.")

 

("Matt- don't, DON'T!")

 

(*A click before a sharp gasp*)

 

("...now, you ready, or is the girl, next?")

 

("MATTHEW, DON'T...FUCK, DON'T, LISTEN TO ME, YOU CAN GET AWAY  
FROM THIS SHIT, AGAIN, YOU ALWAYS DO, LET HER GO, JUST LEAVE!")

 

("...so her turn then?") (*a smaller click to re-cock the gun*)

 

("NO! GOD! I'LL...I'LL PLAY, FUCKING, LEAVE HER OUT OF IT, I'LL PLAY, I'M NEXT, THEN YOU!")

 

(*The girl sobs even fainter in the background*)

 

~~~~

 

"J..Jack...Jack, that's Will, and Brown. That has to be Freddie's daughter crying." Beverly stammered,  
picking up the dirt covered walkie-talkie on the second floor.

 

"...go, he knows we're here. He left that there for us to listen to. Chances are they're on the top floor so it would  
buy him time, it's got to be at least 30 flights, GO." Jack snarled through his dread,  
taking the device from her and following the SWAT team with his group up the unfinished metal stairway.

 

\---

 

Will shivered at the sight of the silver revolver being slid across a metal table towards him.

He looked from it to Matthew, twitching a fearful scowl as he watched Matthew hold a different gun  
aimed at the bound up child that tried to turn away from the threat with a sob.

 

"Pick. It. Up." Matthew said with demand.

 

"Matthew-"

 

"PICK IT UP!" Brown shouted, violently slamming his free hand to the steel table between  
them, the walkie talkie shaking on the metal with tape holding down the outgoing button.

 

Will fumbled his one almost free hand over and picked up the pistol, begging Matthew to stop aiming the  
readied weapon at the child.

 

"I'll do it...I'll do it...stop pointing it at her, Matt...there's..there's no reason to scare her, she's already scared...  
I'll do it." Will shuddered and slowly lifted the gun, a few twitches on the corner of his mouth as he

teared up and pressed the cold steel to his temple.

 

Matthew smirked and quirked his head, watching eagerly as the young man heaved through horrified  
shivers that shook his armed hand, a string of saliva dropping from his trembling lips when he spat an exhaled  
shock as he pulled the trigger.

 

The gun clicked dry and he scoffed a relieved sob, dropping the gun to the table and looking over at the  
girl. His fear of imminent death had practically deafened him in the moment, he hadn't realized the poor child  
had shrieked when he pulled the trigger.

 

"It's...It's okay...you'll be okay...they're going to come and get you Amelia...it's okay, okay?"  
Will huffed with a crooked smile, shifting his eyes to Matthew's hands that grabbed the gun and lifted it.

 

"...I know it...it'll hurt your wrists sweetie...but...turn...face the outside, okay? Can you do that for me?  
Look at the stars...look at the city lights under them...can you do that?" Will slumped a bit, cuffed in place  
except for the one arm, tilting his head to comfort the girl in his words.

 

She cried as she nodded, turning against the ropes burning her wrist to do as Will asked.

 

Matt chuckled and shook his head.

 

"Matt..." Will started, flinching when the man recklessly pulled the trigger and blinked when it  
 dry fired again.

 

"MATT...MATTHEW, Okay, okay- you think you're winning something here!? Tell me, TELL me what  
you're winning with this!?"

 

Matt eyed the gun when he dropped it from his temple, scoffing before looking to Will.

 

 

 

 

"Nothing."

 

\---

 


	23. Let It Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The force draws closer to where they suspect Brown and Will to   
> be in the unfinished skyscraper, 
> 
>  
> 
> the situation becomes too risky for Hannibal and Beverly to tolerate  
> as they decide to move faster without precaution.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *frowns harder with a shrug*
> 
> Something about Hannibal with a gun is super fucking odd.
> 
> >_>
> 
> (ps. I actually might add one more chapter after this, so, be weary.)

  

 

 

 

Hannibal held a pistol Jack had given him down towards the ground as he followed close behind the man,  
wearing a white t-shirt beneath the black Kevlar bullet proof vest and khaki pants with boots. His hair was slightly  
disheveled, carelessly ignoring his usual public appearance as soon as he had gotten the call that Will had slipped  
his protective custody. Beverly followed just a few inches on Hannibal's heel with her weapon ready as well.

 

Jack and the squad all stopped frozen in the stairway, listening to the broken on and off words emitting  
from the walkie-talkie. Jack had demanded they stay put for a moment on each floor until they were positive  
the convict wasn't waiting to snipe them from an unseen spot, worried it could all be a trap by the clever man.

 

As soon as Hannibal heard Will warning the child to look away, sounding beyond accepting of his fate,  
he shot a wildly angry determined look to Beverly, who returned the expression with a nervous shaky nod.

 

"Jack he's playing Russian Roulette, if we don't move now we're going to find out the winner the  
fucking hard way, I say we go NOW. I'll go alone if you say no." Beverly said with a tight face at the  
burly man.

 

Jack looked from her to Hannibal and nodded to them. "Quiet. One at a time. Go. No lights, Squad is  
on backup if we hear trouble. Don't escalate him, he's likely beyond on edge."

 

Beverly almost gasped when Hannibal suddenly rushed past her, his feet lighter than anything she'd  
ever witnessed as the intimidating foreign man disappeared up the stairs without a word or sound.

 

\---

 

Will looked up at the metal beams above him as he tried to steady the pistol against his temple.

 

The little girl crying quietly as she faced painfully away from the two on opposite ends of the  
metal table, her wrists aching and burning against her twisting weight.

 

"Want me to count down before I shoot the kid in the back?" Matt said low with an impatient growl.

 

Will's eyes blurred behind silent tears as he tried to blink them away, looking at the child's hiding face then  
to Matthew's waiting gaze.

 

His lips trembled before he finally inhaled, pulling the trigger and clenching his eyes shut when the  
revolver clicked empty again.

 

He choked on a sob, unable to fully drop to his knees when his body fell almost limp under stress and  
terror, gripping the sides of the table to avoid injuring his ankles against the binds. Pressing his forehead to  
the cold desk, he began pleading for the girl's freedom after sliding the revolver over to Matthew.

 

"Let her go...let her go, let her go Matt..this is about us, this is just us, let her go. She doesn't need to see  
this, let her go. Let her go."

 

"Three more turns. We'll see." Matthew snapped the gun up and pulled it without a single care, chuckling when it  
clicked dry and held it out to Will.

 

"You've got a 50/50 chance, Mr. Graham. I promise to keep my word though. If it kills you, I'll let the  
kid go. I'll surrender and accept my punishment. I know they're on their way up right now, no need for me to  
kill her. If it doesn't kill you...you've got a solid free shot at me. It turns from a game of Russian Roulette  
to Quick Draw. Just me and you."

 

Will took the gun and stared at Matthew with a blank expression.

 

Matt quirked his head curiously and smiled, waiting.

 

"...you've tortured, scarred, and killed so many innocent people, Matthew...for what? For nothing?"  
Will asked quietly, glancing down at the weapon in his free hand before looking back to the pistol 

Matt held cocked and aimed at Amelia.

 

"Do you ever stop and think about what you've done? Aren't you afraid?." He continued, biting his lip  
with a shuddered sigh.

 

"Afraid?" Matthew repeated the word back to him, squinting at the young man.

 

 "...about the fact that one day, it will _rain back down on you_." The last words slipped past

Will's lips with a hint of venom on his tone, raising the revolver to his own temple once more.

 

  
Matthew and Will stared directly into each others eyes from across the table, one smiling in anticipation, the other  
frowning with fear as he shivered through silent acceptance.

 

Will's finger rested just against the trigger, a tear dropping from his jaw to the table.

 

 

Matt responded with a crooked smile.

 

 

>   
> " _ **Let it rain**_."

 

 

* * *

 

 

Amelia shrieked when a gun shot rang out, echoing against the metal surroundings  
with a high pitched ring burning in her ears.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

Hannibal practically skidded to a stop on the 29th dirty floor when he finally reached the top,  
his eyes widening when he saw the three- Matt's back to him as he held a gun aimed at Freddie's  
bound daughter while Will gripped a revolver against his dark sweaty curls.

 

He barely heard what Matthew had said just before he snapped his gun up and fired a bullet

into the man.

 

The girl screamed in the background when the shot exploded deafeningly loud in the space.

 

Will flinched his eyes tight as a thick spatter of blood was thrown across his face and neck, dropping  
the revolver to the table just before he fully had pulled the trigger.

 

After a few moments blinking away the red from his eyes, his hearing adjusted from a muffle, the  
familiar accent bringing him back to earth in shock when the child's screams leveled over the desperately  
needed voice. 

 

His vision finally cleared and ears popped, frozen in place as he watched the many swat members swarm  
in and surround Amelia, shifting his eyes to the foreign man couching beside him.

 

"... _Hannibal_?" Will scrunched his brows together as he watched him untie his ankles from the table, staring  
into the grounding crimson eyes that raised and met his finally.

 

"It's okay Will...I'm here...I'm sorry, I should have been there with you...again.." Hannibal frowned as he ran his  
hand gently over Will's face to wipe the blood from his wet cheeks, the pained regret in his eyes clearer than anything  
Will had ever seen in the man. Will's eyes shifted down for a moment to study the odd appearance of Hannibal  
wearing a sweaty dirt stained white t-shirt under a thick bullet proof vest, his hair a disheveled mess and  
chest heaving from having run up so many flights of stairs.

 

"I...the cuff keys...are on him." Will muttered, still locked in the eye contact as he tried to hold back his  
tears.

 

Hannibal nodded and rushed over to the other side of the table, maneuvering around the paramedic squad  
to snatch the key out of the man's pant pocket, returning to un-cuff Will's bruising wrist from the table.

 

Will pulled his wrist up as he rubbed it, watching the squad departing with Amelia who looked over an officer's  
shoulder at him. Through her tears, she mouthed a 'thank you' to him before shoving her face into the woman's  
Kevlar vest.

 

"...did you...?" Will said quietly, turning his eyes to the group surrounding Matthew's grounded body.

 

"He wont survive this. I don't believe he intended to." Hannibal responded short and sternly, reaching out to pull  
Will into a gentle embrace.

 

Will swallowed hard and nodded, finally letting a sigh out with a broken sob in the man's arms.

 

"I love you, Hannibal..." He choked, wrapping his arms around his waist in return. He glanced over for a  
second at the dropped revolver, the chamber had opened when it fell, showing where the bullet had been-  
ready to fire, he would have been dead half a minute ago.

 

Hannibal furrowed his brows, blinking a few times before gripping the young mans curls with a shuddered sigh.

 

"I love you, Will."

 

\---

 

 


	24. Two Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even though the horrific events seem to have come to an end,
> 
>  
> 
> Will struggles with himself to let comfort in when he finds he can't  
> discover the peace he had hoped for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *writes everyone reading individual apology notes*....

 

 

 

Almost a month later, Will stirred awake in bed beside Hannibal's sleeping body, turning to his back  
as he rubbed his sweaty face and stared up at the ceiling.

 

His brows scrunched together as he tried to fight off the nightmare.

 

He climbed out of the covers carefully and padded downstairs to the guest bathroom, locking  
himself in before turning on the shower and stepping in with his boxers still on.

 

Almost as if the lonely space had triggered his chest to tighten, he began sobbing under the  
freezing cold water in the corner of the expensive tiled space.

 

The image of Matthew Brown so well dressed and polite, charming everyone within a few feet  
of his confident stance in a black and white tailored suit plastered behind his eyes,

his horrific empathy twisting the memory quickly through his kidnapping and tortures straight  
to the man's shoulder snapping forward as a bullet tore through his chest- the heated blood  
finding it's way across the table onto his skin.

 

Will couldn't hold it back any longer, his muffled crying broke into painful wails, throwing his  
fists into the shower walls as he screamed to try and mute the echoing bullet shot from his mind.

 

The torturous thoughts pained him, his furious curiosity running wild as he wondered what was  
so wrong with that man that drove him to do the things he had done- and if Hannibal had been  
right when he said he assumed Matt had intended to die that day.

 

Was the escape a way to leave his chances of receiving help or committing suicide by cop up  
to others? The true mission to let someone else decide his fate?

 

If he had really wanted to have his way with Will he could have easily taken many more simple  
precautions with his plan in order to have days, even weeks, of time with him- once again.

 

But he hadn't.

 

At that, Will suddenly found he couldn't get Matthew's last words out of his head, the statement  
lodging deep like a leech suckling on his brain.

 

 

(" _Let it rain_.")

 

 

Gripped his soaking curls in his fists under the pouring water, he bowed his head between his knees,  
he cried.

 

 

\---

 

Hannibal stood outside the locked bathroom, leaning his shoulder against the doors frame  
as he frowned at the boy's agonizing cries.

 

He glanced down at his own clenched fist, uncurling the grip to eye the small crumpled  
note Matthew had left in Amelia's lunch box.

 

 

  
It simply read two words.

 

 

 

* * *

 

  
_**"I'm sorry."** _

 

 

 

* * *

* * *


End file.
